How to follow Australian Grand Prix on the BBC

The 2025 Formula 1 season is upon us and it gets under way with the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen is targeting a fifth consecutive drivers' title, while McLaren's Lando Norris is hoping to go one better after finishing second to the Dutchman in 2024.

However, the main talking point before Melbourne is Lewis Hamilton getting set for his Ferrari debut.

His former team, Mercedes, have replaced him with 18-year-old Italian rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who is set to become the third-youngest driver in F1 history.

McLaren's Norris and Oscar Piastri locked out the front row in qualifying with the Briton on pole. Piastri will be hoping to become the first Australian to win his home race in Albert Park.

World champion Verstappen starts third in the Red Bull, with Mercedes' George Russell behind.

Racing Bulls' Yuki Tsunoda will start in fifth following a strong performance and is alongside Alex Albon in the Williams.

Ferrari team-mates Charles Leclerc and Hamilton rounded out the top eight. They were separated by 0.218secs on Hamilton's Ferrari debut.

What are the main changes?

Antonelli, who is Russell's new team-mate, is one of six rookies on the grid this season. Three of them already have F1 race experience, but have not completed a full season.

Briton Oliver Bearman, 19, replaces Kevin Magnussen at Haas, having impressed during three race starts last year, including stepping in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Saudi Arabia.

New Zealand's Liam Lawson is Verstappen's new partner at Red Bull, after competing in 11 races for their junior team in 2023 and 2024.

Australian Jack Doohan, son of five-time MotoGP world champion Mick Doohan, made his debut for Alpine in Abu Dhabi in December after being signed up for a full campaign this year.

Formula 2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto, 20, joins Sauber while the man he beat to the title, Isack Hadjar, is with Racing Bulls, who were known as RB last season.

After 206 grands prix and four wins he is certainly no rookie, but Spaniard Sainz is now at Williams after Hamilton took his seat at Ferrari.

Session start times and BBC coverage

Commentary of the race will be available across BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app.

You can also listen via most smart speakers. All you need to do is say "ask BBC Sounds to play the Australian Grand Prix".

Make sure to download the Chequered Flag podcast, which previews and reviews every race of the season.

All times GMT.

Sunday, 16 March

Race: 04:00 (BBC Radio 5 Live coverage from 03:30, BBC Sounds and smart speakers)

What is the Melbourne weather forecast?

Melbourne, back as the opening race of the season for the first time since 2019, can have changeable weather in mid-March and we've certainly got that this weekend - with rain expected for the race on Sunday.

After Friday's practice sessions were run in sunny and dry conditions, the temperature rose to 36C for qualifying on Saturday.

It's a different story on Sunday. The temperature will drop significantly to a high of 24C and showers are predicted for the start of the 58-lap grand prix.

Who looked good in pre-season testing?

McLaren, the 2024 constructors' champions, are considered the team to beat after pre-season testing in Bahrain at the end of February.

Mercedes' Russell told BBC Sport that McLaren "look by far the strongest".

Worryingly for their rivals, Albert Park's medium-speed corners and low-grip surface is expected to favour the characteristics of the McLaren.

After testing, Hamilton said Ferrari "definitely have some work to do", while Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache said they had some concerns about their car "but it is going in the right direction".

As for Mercedes, Russell said "definitely the car's feeling a bit more together".

Williams, through Alex Albon and Sainz, impressed in testing but team boss James Vowles said: "Top four will be the top four. [There is a] large gap between them and the midfield."