Norris tops double red flagged FP1 in Australia as Hamilton struggles
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McLaren's Lando Norris has topped the first practice session of 2025 at a sunny Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. The first session of the Formula 1 season didn't come without its challenges. There were two red flag delays, the first for gravel being kicked up onto the circuit and the second after Haas' Oliver Bearman suffered a huge hit. George Russell also went off in the closing stages but managed to keep his Mercedes running. Carlos Sainz's Williams came through in second place, with Charles Leclerc's Ferrari in third.
How FP1 for the 2025 Australian Grand Prix unfolded
The first practice session of 2025 began in bright sunshine in Melbourne. Lewis Hamilton emerged from the garage in the iconic red Scuderia Ferrari for the first time at a race weekend this season. For the first portion of the session, the Brit, like the entire field, had the medium tyres bolted on. The circuit was very green, evolving throughout the first hour of running. Lewis Hamilton struggled throughout the session, eventually finishing in 12th place.
Charles Leclerc set the early pace with a high lap time of 1 minute 17 seconds. Behind him sat George Russell's Mercedes. In third came Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar. The young Frenchman managed to stay on the rostrum. Red Bull's Liam Lawson had a slight brush with the wall in the middle sector, but luckily for the Kiwi, it didn't damage his RB21.
Gravel kickup causes first delay
A short red flag delay and the first of the season occurred after Jack Doohan ran off the circuit slightly, causing gravel to come onto the Albert Park tarmac. Doohan, the home hero's Alpine, survived unscathed as he dipped his wheels into the trap. The delay lasted just a few minutes, nearing the midway stage of the session. A sweeper vehicle was deployed to remove the debris.
The second Aussie on the grid, Oscar Piastri, dipped two wheels into the gravel at the same part of the circuit as his fellow countryman, albeit less dramatically. Williams' Carlos Sainz then managed to go quickest as some drivers moved onto the soft tyres.
Bearman suffers smash
Just a few minutes later, Ollie Bearman suffered a dramatic incident which eliminated the 19-year-old from the session. Coming into sector three, Bearman became the first driver to find the barrier after dipping his car into the gravel and then losing the car. The Brit jumped out of the car safely, but his Haas team was upset after an incident during a crucial learning session.
When running resumed after Bearman's incident, more drivers ventured onto the circuit on soft tyres. Drivers had around 10 minutes to acclimatise before FP2 commenced later in the afternoon at 05:00 GMT. Carlos Sainz's pace with Williams was strong, and he led former teammate Charles Leclerc by less than a tenth with a 1.17.401. The pace looks encouraging for a Williams team that heads into 2025 with a new level of confidence after signing the Spaniard.
George Russell had an off after dropping a wheel in the gravel in the first sector. The Mercedes driver was agonisingly close to the barrier, luckily able to miss it.
With just a few minutes to go, Lando Norris nonchalantly pipped Sainz by one and a half tenths with a 1.17.252. The championship favourite started the season as he hopes to go on.
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