The first Formula 1 race weekend of the year is finally here, and it’s where it belongs in Melbourne – follow live updates from Friday at the Australian Grand Prix below!
Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch the 2025 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, LIVE in 4K with no ad-breaks during racing. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
LIVE UPDATES FROM MELBOURNE PARK BELOW
FOLLOW THE NEWS FROM FRIDAY PRACTICE BELOW
4PM – PRACTICE 2 UNDERWAY
Ollie Bearman’s Haas is still up on blocks following his crash earlier on Friday, but what’s getting interesting is the situation with Sunday’s race.
There are heavy expectations of rain during the morning and early afternoon in Melbourne, and it remains to be seen whether the forecast will worsen and give us a wet race.
Lando Norris’ fastest time in FP1, which led the field, was set with a lower-drag rear wing – he was blisteringly fast down the back straight – but now both his McLaren, and Oscar Piastri’s, have a higher-drag rear wing.
The former race strategist providing intel on F1 TV believes they, and a few other teams, are already doing prep for the wet race by adding downforce to their cars.
1:30PM – PRACTICE 1 WRAP
Williams is threatening to break into the four-team contender hegemony, with reigning race-winner Carlos Sainz nearly leading first practice on merit.
The ex-Ferrari driver was second behind world title favourite Lando Norris’ McLaren on the timesheets early on Friday afternoon, in a practice session twice halted by a red flag.
The first was caused by gravel on the track, with concerns multiple drivers had brought the debris onto the racing surface due to a new kerb, while the second was caused by a big crash for Haas rookie Ollie Bearman coming out of the back straight.
Norris finished fastest with a 1:17.252, from Sainz (+0.149), Charles Leclerc (+0.209), Oscar Piastri (+0.418), Max Verstappen (+0.444) and Alex Albon (+0.461).
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer suggested on commentary Norris “turned the wick up” on his car on his hot lap due to a blistering middle sector, which is almost entirely the back straight, suggesting the McLaren will live up to preseason expectations as the title favourite.
Aussie rookie Jack Doohan was 13th, almost three tenths quicker than his veteran Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly, with the two Haas cars clearly slowest overall.
Mercedes’ George Russell nearly crashed in the final minute of the session, spinning and parking it in what’s usually a car park at turn four, only just avoiding the wall.
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1:10PM – FIRST BIG CRASH FROM BEARMAN
Haas rookie Ollie Bearman, who impressed in his Ferrari cameo early last season, finds the wall coming out of the fastest part of the circuit – the turns 9/10 chicane out of the back straight.
It’s our second red flag for the session and came right after Carlos Sainz, last year’s race winner, went fastest in the Williams.
1PM – EARLY CONCERNS OVER TRACK CHANGE
A red flag was called less than halfway through Practice 1 with Aussie Jack Doohan copping the blame, but it may not be his fault.
Gravel at turn 6 before the long back straight saw the session halted so it could be removed, but it was suggested every driver was to blame for the stoppage.
A new kerb has been placed at that corner between the track and the gravel trap, and F1 TV technical analyst Sam Collins suggested the way the kerb was actually pulling drivers into the gravel was seeing pretty much everyone drag it onto the racing surface.
If that’s the case, this could be an issue all weekend.
11AM – RED BULL BOSS RIPS ‘C-GRADE’ AUSSIE ROOKIE
Despite having just one F1 race under his belt, a cameo in Abu Dhabi to end last season, Australia’s Jack Doohan comes into the 2025 season under more pressure than anybody.
The looming spectre of Alpine reserve driver Franco Colapinto, the Argentine who has plenty of cash and a strong half-season of form for Williams behind him, means Doohan is tipped to lose his seat quickly if he doesn’t perform.
And Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko doesn’t sound like a believer in the Queenslander.
Appearing on Red Bull’s in-house station Servus TV, where he was grading the rookies, Marko declared: “He is a ‘C’. I don’t think he will complete the season.”
Doohan is one of six debut or inexperienced drivers on the 2025 F1 grid.
In contrast to his take on the Aussie, Marko gave Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto a B grade, and declared Mercedes prodigy Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull graduate Isack Hadjar are potential A-graders.
How will McLaren manage Piastri & Lando? | 02:59
11AM – CLEAR SIGNS OF SUNDAY’S WINNER
Aussie fans are desperate to see a local on the podium for the first time ever – Daniel Ricciardo’s 2014 appearance before being disqualified doesn’t count, unfortunately.
And it sure seems like Oscar Piastri is the best chance the nation has ever had, according to F1 TV’s race pace analysis.
As part of its technical preview, F1 TV declared McLaren’s expected pace is 0.304sec faster than Red Bull in second, followed by Mercedes (+0.358sec) and Ferrari (+0.461sec).
It leaves Piastri and teammate Lando Norris, who comes into 2025 as the betting favourite to claim a first world title, as the leading contenders to win at Albert Park.
Jack Doohan’s Alpine team comes in fifth (+0.631sec), suggesting he’ll need to make the top 10 to really satisfy the doubters, with the star-studded Williams tipped to rise to sixth (+0.687sec).
Haas (+0.842sec), Aston Martin (+0.853sec) and Racing Bulls (+0.944sec) will be dreaming of a Q3 spot most weekends while Sauber (+1.235sec) should easily bring up the rear.
Breaking down power dynamic in Ferrari | 03:13
Friday session times (all times AEDT)
12:30-1:30pm: F1 Practice 1
2-2:30pm: F3 Qualifying
2:45-3:30pm: Supercars Race 2
4-5pm: F1 Practice 2
5:30-6pm: F2 Qualifying
Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch the 2025 MSS Security Melbourne SuperSprint LIVE with no ad-breaks during racing. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
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