This post was created with help from AI.
2025 will be a very special year for the global motor racing scene indeed – for no particular reason, that’s what I decided this morning. So to celebrate F1’s 75 years of going around in exciting circles, we have teamed up with our super-duper paddock insider, Irwin D Trenton. Irw will be on the ground covering the events at Albert Park and other circuits around the globe.
With the rebirth of “Nuestra Charla 2.0: What Goes In Must Come Out”, Irw, as he’s known to his friends and colleagues, will be bombarding you with his immense motorsport wisdom throughout the 2025 Formula 1 season. Each individual “charla” will be updated with its own dedicated event review on Monday after the race, even Irw, despite his PhD in Space Engineering, can’t time travel. This is only the beginning!
PREVIEW
Here’s my preview of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2025, set to kick off the season this weekend at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne on Sunday, March 16. As of today, anticipation is building for what promises to be an exciting and unpredictable start to the year.
And why am I so excited? It’s because the Australian Grand Prix returns as the season opener for the first time since 2019, running from Thursday, March 13, to Sunday, March 16. The 5.278-kilometer street circuit, known for its mix of fast straights and technical corners, will host 58 laps of racing. The event begins with practice sessions on Friday, followed by qualifying on Saturday, and the main race on Sunday at 3:00 PM local time (4:00 AM GMT). The track’s smooth tarmac and four DRS zones should offer decent overtaking opportunities, though its bumpy nature and evolving grip levels will test driver skill and car setup.
My Key Storylines
- Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari Debut: After 12 years with Mercedes, the seven-time world champion will race for Ferrari for the first time. Hamilton has expressed optimism about bonding with the SF-25 car, but he’ll face a stern challenge from teammate Charles Leclerc, who holds the lap record here (1:19.813, set in 2024). Hamilton, a two-time winner in Melbourne (2008, 2015), aims to kick off his quest for a record eighth title in style.
- McLaren’s Momentum: Fresh off their 2024 Constructors’ Championship, McLaren enters as a favorite. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the latter racing at home, impressed in pre-season testing in Bahrain, with many pundits suggesting they could dominate early in 2025. Piastri, in his third home race, has a real shot at becoming the first Australian to reach podium at this event in the World Championship era.
- Max Verstappen and Red Bull’s Response: The four-time defending Drivers’ Champion starts as the betting favorite despite a less dominant pre-season. Verstappen has downplayed Red Bull’s pace, hinting McLaren holds an edge, but his track record— including pole in 2024—makes him a threat. Teammate Liam Lawson steps up as a full-time driver, though Red Bull’s focus remains squarely on Verstappen.
- Rookie Invasion: Six rookies or near-rookies—Jack Doohan (Alpine), Oliver Bearman (Haas), Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), Liam Lawson (Red Bull)—mark the largest rookie class since 2001. Doohan, another home hopeful, joins Piastri in carrying Australian expectations, while the youngsters will look to make an immediate impact.
- Competitive Field: Pre-season testing suggests a tighter grid than ever, with Ferrari, McLaren, Red Bull, and even Alpine showing promise. Driver changes abound—eight of ten teams have at least one new face—setting the stage for surprises. Williams’ Carlos Sainz, last year’s winner, could also challenge if his new team finds early pace.
What to Expect
- Race Dynamics: Albert Park’s layout often produces chaotic starts, and with so many unknowns—new drivers, untested cars, and potential reliability hiccups—expect drama. Verstappen’s 2024 retirement due to brakes highlights how quickly fortunes can shift here.
- Home Crowd Factor: Record crowds are anticipated, fueled by Piastri’s rise and Doohan’s debut. Tickets sold out rapidly in 2024, and 2025 is trending similarly, making F1 bigwigs extremely happy.
- Pecking Order Reveal: Bahrain testing left questions unanswered due to its unique conditions. Melbourne’s street circuit will offer the first true gauge of 2025’s competitive landscape.
The fight for P1 might get boring, as F1 is a meritocracy (according to Toto), however there’s nothing more thrilling these days than watching the fight for the last two points-paying positions. This is what I’m personally looking forward to down under. Who will it be then?
Predicting the exact P9 and P10 finishers among Formula 1’s backmarkers for the 2025 Australian Grand Prix is a speculative exercise and a tall order, especially this early in the season with limited on-track data. However, based on current team trajectories, pre-season buzz, and the nature of the Albert Park circuit, we can make an educated guess about which teams might occupy those lower points-paying positions. For this, I’ll define “backmarkers” as the teams likely battling at the rear of the midfield or beyond—think Alpine, Williams, Haas, Sauber, and Racing Bulls (VCARB)—as opposed to the top-tier outfits like McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes.
Context and Assumptions
- Albert Park Characteristics: The Melbourne track rewards car balance, driver confidence, and reliability over raw power. Mistakes are costly due to its street-circuit walls, and early-season teething issues often hit newer lineups harder.
- 2025 Grid Shifts: With six rookies and significant driver swaps (e.g., Hamilton to Ferrari, Sainz to Williams), backmarker teams face both opportunity and instability. Pre-season testing hinted at a compressed field, but the pecking order remains murky.
- Points System: P9 and P10 still score points (2 and 1, respectively), so this isn’t about the absolute tail-enders but rather the bottom of the points-paying positions.
Contenders for P9 and P10
- Alpine (Pierre Gasly / Jack Doohan)
- Case For: Alpine showed late-2024 improvement, and their A524 chassis reportedly carried over well into the 2025-spec A525. Gasly’s experience could stabilize them, while Doohan, a rookie and local, might overperform with home crowd energy. Testing suggested they’re midfield contenders, but not top-tier.
- Case Against: Rookie inconsistency from Doohan and Alpine’s historical setup struggles at bumpy tracks like Albert Park could limit them to scrapping for lower points.
- Williams (Alex Albon / Carlos Sainz)
- Case For: Sainz, the 2024 Australian GP winner, brings proven pace, and Albon’s underrated consistency could lift Williams. If their development trajectory continues, they might target higher than P9/P10, but a chaotic race could drop them here.
- Case Against: Williams often sacrifices early-season pace for later gains, and adapting to Sainz’s style might take time, leaving them vulnerable in Round 1.
- Haas (Esteban Ocon / Oliver Bearman)
- Case For: Ocon’s experience and Bearman’s raw talent (impressive in 2024 cameos) give Haas upside. Their Ferrari-powered car might suit Albert Park’s stop-start nature if they nail reliability—key for backmarker points.
- Case Against: Bearman’s rookie status could mean errors, and Haas rarely excels out of the gate, often relying on mid-season upgrades.
- Sauber (Nico Hulkenberg / Gabriel Bortoleto)
- Case For: Hulkenberg’s veteran savvy could drag Sauber into the points, especially if others falter. Bortoleto, a highly rated F2 champ, might surprise if he adapts quickly.
- Case Against: Sauber’s 2024 form was dire, and their 2025 car looks like a transitional design ahead of Audi’s 2026 takeover. Expect struggles unless chaos intervenes.
- Racing Bulls (Yuki Tsunoda / Isack Hadjar)
- Case For: Tsunoda’s Honda-backed F1 career showed promise so far, and Hadjar’s aggression could shine in a scrap. Red Bull’s junior team often overperforms relative to budget, and Melbourne’s DRS zones suit their car philosophy.
- Case Against: One relatively green driver might lack the polish to capitalize unless the car’s a step up from 2024’s midfield baseline.
Given the lack of 2025 race data, I’ll lean on team momentum, driver experience, and circuit fit:
- P9: Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Gasly’s knack for seizing opportunities—seen in his 2024 points hauls—pairs with Alpine’s rumored step forward. Doohan might falter as a rookie, but Gasly could sneak into the lower points in a race with typical Melbourne attrition. - P10: Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
Hulkenberg’s history of dragging subpar cars into the points (e.g., Haas 2023) makes him a safe bet for P10. Sauber might not have pace, but “The Hulk” thrives in chaos, and a rookie-heavy field could gift him a chance.
Why not others? Williams might aim higher (Sainz could score a podium if stars align), while Haas and Racing Bulls feel riskier with their half-inexperienced lineups. Attrition could shuffle this, but Gasly and Hulkenberg’s track records edge them out for now.
This is a tight call, and Sunday’s race will clarify a lot. Expect the unexpected—Melbourne rarely disappoints on that front!
How to Watch
- Local (Australia): Fox Sports, Kayo, and Channel 10/10Play.
- UK: Sky Sports F1 or NowTV (early morning due to time difference).
- US: ESPN, fuboTV, or F1 TV Pro.
- Check formula1.com for global broadcast details.
With a stacked grid, Hamilton’s new chapter, and McLaren’s hype, the 2025 Australian Grand Prix could set the tone for a thrilling season. Will Verstappen assert his dominance, or will a new contender—like Piastri or Hamilton—steal the spotlight? We’ll find out soon!
As per usual, you can find me in the paddock, I’ll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you.
REVIEW (COMING ON MONDAY)
And the winner is…
The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2025, held on March 16 at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, kicked off the season with a thrilling and chaotic race dominated by unpredictable weather and standout performances. Please enjoy my review based on the latest available information from the paddock where I was in charge of slipping shrimps on the barbie. And remember what I said about Hulk above? Bet you didn’t expect that one. Okay, I admit Gasly for P9 was wrong, but that was close. He was P9 in quali, despite the late-race suckage and surrendering position after position to faster cars.
Here we go.
Lando Norris of McLaren claimed victory in a dramatic fashion, converting his pole position into a hard-fought win. The race began in wet conditions, requiring intermediate tires, and saw early chaos with crashes on the formation lap and Lap 1, including rookies Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan, and Carlos Sainz retiring early. A drying track later allowed a switch to slick tires, but a sudden heavy rain shower in the closing stages flipped the script again, sending drivers scrambling back to intermediates. Norris navigated these challenges adeptly, surviving a late off-track moment to hold off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who finished second after a strong recovery. Verstappen capitalized on a late error from Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri, who spun out of contention for second at the penultimate corner, dropping to ninth despite a valiant recovery.
Mercedes had a solid day with George Russell taking third and debutant Kimi Antonelli finishing fourth after a post-race penalty was overturned following a successful protest by the team over an unsafe pit release. Williams’ Alex Albon rounded out the top five with an impressive drive, capitalizing on others’ misfortunes. Ferrari, however, struggled; Lewis Hamilton, in his debut for the team, finished 10th, and Charles Leclerc took eighth after a strategic misstep to stay on slicks during the late rain cost them dearly.
The race featured three Safety Car periods due to multiple incidents—six drivers failed to finish, including rookies Gabriel Bortoleto and Liam Lawson, alongside veteran Fernando Alonso. McLaren’s early dominance was tested, but Norris’s composure under pressure set a strong tone for his championship bid. Verstappen’s ability to extract performance from a less competitive Red Bull kept him in the fight, while the rookie class, aside from Antonelli, largely faltered in the tricky conditions.
This season opener showcased the Albert Park circuit’s reputation for delivering unpredictable, action-packed races, with weather playing a pivotal role and McLaren emerging as early frontrunners. For deeper insights, I’ll refer you to my mate and F1 analyst Jolyon Palmer, but this sums up the key moments from Melbourne!
iberianmph.com 