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The wait is over -- the 2025 Formula 1 season is officially underway, with Free Practice 1 for the Australian Grand Prix providing the first real glimpse of the competitive order. It was McLaren's Lando Norris who set the early benchmark, leading Williams' Carlos Sainz at the top of the timesheets, while rookie Ollie Bearman suffered a heavy crash that brought out the red flags.
After weeks of speculation, the action finally got started at Albert Park under clear skies and warm conditions. The 20-car field rolled out onto the track for the first official session of the year, with particular attention on a grid featuring six rookies: Liam Lawson (Red Bull), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Ollie Bearman (Haas), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), and Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber).
Another major talking point was Lewis Hamilton's long-awaited Ferrari debut, as the seven-time World Champion finally got the chance to put the iconic red machine through its paces in an official session.
Within the first 10 minutes, all drivers had taken to the track, eager to get a feel for the circuit. Some early drama unfolded as Lawson brushed the wall at Turn 9, while Max Verstappen dipped a wheel into the gravel at Turn 6, an issue that soon became a trend as multiple drivers scattered stones onto the racing line.
The buildup of gravel eventually led to the first red flag of the season, allowing marshals to clear the track. At that point, Charles Leclerc was leading the session with a 1m 17.880s on medium tyres, ahead of George Russell's Mercedes.
Once the session resumed, the lap times tumbled as drivers switched to soft tyres. Verstappen briefly took P1 with a 1m 17.696s before Sainz showcased Williams' strength by going faster with a 1m 17.401s.
Just as soft tyre runs were gaining momentum, Bearman suffered a major incident, losing control of his Haas at the Turn 9/10 chicane and slamming into the concrete wall. The young Briton was unharmed but clearly frustrated, apologizing to his team over the radio as another red flag was brought out for barrier repairs.
With time ticking down, the final runs saw Norris jump to the top of the leaderboard with a 1m 17.252s lap, beating Sainz by 0.149s. Leclerc followed in third, while home favorite Oscar Piastri impressed in fourth for McLaren, just ahead of Verstappen in fifth.
Norris Sets the Benchmark -- McLaren appears to be in strong form early on, with Norris leading the way in FP1.
Williams Looking Strong -- Sainz secured P2, while teammate Alex Albon backed him up in P6, suggesting the team could be a serious contender.
Hamilton Struggling with Ferrari -- The Brit ended the session in P12, reporting issues with turning the car.
Rookie Watch -- Hadjar impressed by slotting into the top 10, while Bearman's crash was a tough lesson in his F1 debut weekend.
Haas and Alpine at the Back -- Ocon, Bearman, Gasly, and Hulkenberg rounded out the field, indicating they have work to do.
With FP1 in the books, teams will now analyze their data and prepare for the second practice session, set to begin at 16:00 local time. Will McLaren and Williams continue their strong showing, or will Red Bull and Ferrari respond? The battle is only just beginning in Melbourne.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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