Summary

Lando Norris takes Australian GP pole
Oscar Piastri completes all-McLaren front row
Verstappen third, Russell fourth, Tsunoda fifth, Albon sixth
Ferraris of Leclerc and Hamilton seventh and eighth
Antonelli and Lawson eliminated in Q1
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Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

Norris takes Melbourne pole with Hamilton eighthpublished at 06:46 Greenwich Mean Time
Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent in Melbourne
Image source, Getty Images
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri made it a McLaren one-two in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton took eighth on his Ferrari debut.
Norris and Piastri made life difficult for themselves with mistakes on their first laps in the final part of qualifying, but both produced strong laps on their final runs.
Briton Norris beat Australian Piastri by 0.084 seconds as both knocked early pace-setter Max Verstappen's Red Bull down to third in Melbourne.
Verstappen improved on his final run despite brushing the gravel in the fast chicane at Turns Nine and 10 and ended up 0.385secs off the pace, but managed to stay ahead of Mercedes' George Russell in fourth.
Read the full report here
Australian GP build-up from 03:00 GMT on Sundaypublished at 06:43 Greenwich Mean Time
Image source, Getty Images
McLaren have locked-out the front row for tomorrow's Australian Grand Prix - and one those drivers is a local boy who grew up only minutes away from Albert Park. Will polesitter Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri be allowed to race each other so early in the season?
And what can Racing Bulls' Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon in the Williams do in Melbourne? Tsunoda missed out on that Red Bull seat after Sergio Perez's departure but now he's starting two places a behind Max Verstappen and a long way away from rookie driver Liam Lawson.
Thanks for joining is today, folks. We'll be up and running for race build-up from 03:00 GMT tomorrow, so a little lie-in for us all.
Enjoy all of your Saturday and see you on Sunday!
'There is a lot to dissect' - Hamiltonpublished at 06:39 Greenwich Mean Time
Image source, Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton finished in eighth in his first qualifying session for Ferrari. He spoke to Sky Sports: "I generally feel good, I had a really good time out there today, everything has been a first this weekend and it's been a lot of work to adapt to this car, it's so much different to what I've experienced in the past.
"It's been interesting, I didn't know that would be eight, nine-tenths off today but there is a lot to dissect."
On being only two-tenths off Leclerc: "He's been in this team for seven years and knows this car in and out, not necessarily the new one but the general characteristics of our car and all the tools and everything.
"I'm still learning but to be that close in my first qualifying session I will definitely take it and we will just get ours heads down and start finding out why we are not on pace with the front runners.
"Tomorrow is going to be a challenge. I've never driven this car in the rain, I don't even know the rain settings but I've got to go and study that tonight and it will be a learning experience again."
Hamilton 'feels good'published at 06:34 Greenwich Mean Time
Lewis Hamilton says he "generally feels good" after his qualifying stint in the Ferrari. The team are going to look at where they lost performance to the top five tonight, but he adds he also has to get his around driving a brand new car in wet conditions - don't forget, rain is headed Melbourne’s way for tomorrow's 58-lap race.
His former team-mate, George Russell, who starts on the second row in P4, is chatting to Sky Sports and says he thought it would be a close fight, then highlights everybody seemed to experience a tricky final few corners on the opening runs in Q3.
'It was quite tough' - Verstappenpublished at 06:29 Greenwich Mean Time
Image source, Getty Images
Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who will start third on the grid: “It was good, yesterday was quite tough so for us to be in P3 today I will take that. The qualifying laps were really exciting and I think a lot of good grip around here and some fast corners so that’s always very fun in an F1 car.”
On the tyres overheating: “It was quite tough in qualifying, I don’t know how the others felt but for me it never felt like we nailed that bit, but the gap was quite big to them [McLaren] so it wouldn’t have mattered in terms of position.”
On Sunday’s race: “For me dry or wet is fine, in the weather there is always some crazy things that can happen and especially around here it can be quite slippery, I think but it's the same for everyone and so we will see what happens tomorrow."
'Great start to the year' - Piastripublished at 06:26 Greenwich Mean Time
Image source, Getty Images
Oscar Piastri, who starts on the front row in P2 alongside McLaren team-mate Lando Norris: "Pretty happy. It's obviously a great to start the year on the front row - one position further back than I would've liked. It's a great start to the year and great to have the team on the front row.
"We'll reset and see what tomorrow has in store. Pretty happy with how qualifying went but not quite enough in Q3, but it's the start of a long season.
"I lost a little bit of time in sector three compared to the lap before in Q2; I also locked up there and went off in the first round in Q3, so I didn't really want to do that twice.
"Maybe I left a little bit on the table but it's pretty tricky out there for everybody. Q3 at the start was pretty messy, but I'm just happy to be on the front row and to have a good start."
'When you put the car together it’s unbelievable' - Norrispublished at 06:23 Greenwich Mean Time
Image source, Getty Images
McLaren’s Lando Norris, who takes the first pole position of the 2025 season: “It’s the perfect way to start the year. A big congrats to the team, everyone has done an amazing job, to continue where we were at the end of last season and to start with a one-two. It’s just qualifying so let’s see what happens tomorrow, it’s going to be a tricky race.”
On the margins being so fine: “The car is extremely quick and when you put it together it’s unbelievable, it’s just difficult to put it together. There was a lot of fight between me and Oscar [Piastri] today so that was a tough one and especially after my first lap where I went off and got track limits.
“You are in a tough position and for the second lap you have to take a lot of risk but you also need to get the lap clean and don’t make any mistakes. It’s a difficult mindset to go into the final lap but I managed to pull it off so I’m very happy.”
On the race: “I’m never going to get ahead of myself, I’m not that kind of guy, I’m confident the car is in a great position but we’ve also never run in the wet.
"We know how quick Max [Verstappen] and Red Bull is in the rain so let’s wait and see. There are many opportunities for everyone but also a lot of new things that we are going to be learning along the way.”
'Hamilton has been much stronger on race days'published at 06:20 Greenwich Mean Time
Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Lewis Hamilton has considerable strength when it comes to race day. One of his things is the vast experience that he has will play out in a race situation. It's been the story of the past few years for him: much, much stronger on a Sunday. So where he sits on the grid, P8, he will be able to do something; he will be able to potential move forward, particularly if we get the rain that is definitely promised for tomorrow.
Norris on pole in Melbournepublished at 06:16 Greenwich Mean Time
Lando Norris' pole position time was 1:15.096, with the gap between himself and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri 0.084 seconds.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was down nearly four tenths on Norris' time, while Lewis Hamilton on his Ferrari qualifying debut was off by 0.877 seconds.
And the restpublished at 06:11 Greenwich Mean Time
11. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
12. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
13. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
14. Jack Doohan (Alpine)
15. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
16. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
17. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
18. Liam Lawson (Red Bull)
19. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
20. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
Top 10published at 06:08 Greenwich Mean Time
1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
3. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
4. George Russell (Mercedes)
5. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)
6. Alex Albon (Williams)
7. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
8. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
9. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
10. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
Postpublished at 06:05 Greenwich Mean Time
Harry Benjamin
BBC F1 Commentator in Melbourne
What a lap from Alex Albon in the Williams, he outqualified both Ferraris and his team-mate Carlos Sainz.
Chequered flagpublished at 06:03 Greenwich Mean Time
That was a fantastic end of qualifying for McLaren after a shaky opening. Lando Norris will start on pole position for the Australian Grand Prix alongside home driver and team-mate Oscar Piastri.
And remember, rain is on the way...
Postpublished at 06:02 Greenwich Mean Time
Max Verstappen can only manage third fastest with George Russell fourth. Alex Albon out-qualifies both the Ferraris, as too does Yuki Tsunoda for Racing Bulls! The Japanese driver will start fifth on the grid, Albon sixth and Leclerc and Hamilton down in seventh and eighth.
Norris on provisional polepublished at 06:00 Greenwich Mean Time
McLaren are back in the game! Oscar Piastri causes a roar from the crowd as he goes on to provisional pole. But the second papaya car crosses the line and Lando Norris jumps above his Australian team-mate.
Postpublished at 05:59 Greenwich Mean Time
Marc Priestley
Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
To find both of the Williams cars inside the top 10 is perhaps something we wouldn't have said we expected given their form at the end of last year.
Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are delivering consistently good lap times.
Top 10 after opening runspublished at 05:58 Greenwich Mean Time
1. Max Verstappen
2. George Russell
3. Charles Leclerc
4. Oscar Piastri
5. Alex Albon
6. Yuki Tsunoda
7. Lewis Hamilton
8. Pierre Gasly
9. Carlos Sainz
10. Lando Norris
'Without the damage it would have been a different qualifying' - Antonellipublished at 05:57 Greenwich Mean Time
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli didn't get through to Q2 and said to Sky Sports: "The gravel that was on the kerb really broke my car because there was big damage on the floor afterwards.
"It was kind of hanging, I could feel the car bottoming massively in the straight and it's a shame because we know without the damage it probably would have been a different qualifying."
Image source, Getty Images
Postpublished at 05:56 Greenwich Mean Time
So, McLaren's banker laps did not go to plan and now Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are playing catch-up. Last year's polesitter in Melbourne Max Verstappen is top, George Russell is second and Charles Leclerc is third. Lewis Hamilton is down in seventh.
We go again...
'Not a good start for Norris'published at 05:55 Greenwich Mean Time
Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent in Melbourne
Two mistakes in two corners there from Lando Norris, that is not a good start to his final qualifying session.

2025 Australian Grand Prix

3rd Practice

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, 15 March 2025

Rank	Driver	Number	Fastest Lap	Laps
1	Oscar Piastri McLaren	81	1:15.921	16
2	George Russell Mercedes	63	1:15.960	17
3	Max Verstappen Red Bull	1	1:16.002	18
4	Charles Leclerc Ferrari	16	1:16.188	22
5	Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes	12	1:16.206	20
6	Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams	55	1:16.252	23
7	Alexander Albon Williams	23	1:16.258	21
8	Lewis Hamilton Ferrari	44	1:16.378	21
9	Yuki Tsunoda RB	22	1:16.455	17
10	Lando Norris McLaren	4	1:16.597	20
11	Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber	5	1:16.707	18
12	Pierre Gasly Alpine	10	1:16.719	22
13	Isack Hadjar RB	6	1:16.732	18
14	Lance Stroll Aston Martin	18	1:16.948	22
15	Jack Doohan Alpine	7	1:16.993	18
16	Nico Hulkenberg Sauber	27	1:17.146	15
17	Fernando Alonso Aston Martin	14	1:17.270	22
18	Esteban Ocon Haas	31	1:17.373	18
19	Oliver Bearman Haas	87	not available	2
20	Liam Lawson Red Bull	30	not available	2

Last updated 15th March 2025 at 02:38

Second Practice

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, 14 March 2025

Rank	Driver	Number	Fastest Lap	Laps
1	Charles Leclerc Ferrari	16	1:16.439	32
2	Oscar Piastri McLaren	81	1:16.563	30
3	Lando Norris McLaren	4	1:16.580	30
4	Yuki Tsunoda RB	22	1:16.784	29
5	Lewis Hamilton Ferrari	44	1:16.859	31
6	Isack Hadjar RB	6	1:17.019	30
7	Max Verstappen Red Bull	1	1:17.063	22
8	Nico Hulkenberg Sauber	27	1:17.161	24
9	Lance Stroll Aston Martin	18	1:17.279	28
10	George Russell Mercedes	63	1:17.282	30
11	Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams	55	1:17.302	30
12	Alexander Albon Williams	23	1:17.302	28
13	Fernando Alonso Aston Martin	14	1:17.330	27
14	Jack Doohan Alpine	7	1:17.394	30
15	Pierre Gasly Alpine	10	1:17.493	30
16	Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes	12	1:17.634	31
17	Liam Lawson Red Bull	30	1:17.640	30
18	Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber	5	1:17.847	29
19	Esteban Ocon Haas	31	1:18.034	31
not available	Oliver Bearman Haas	87	not available	not available

Last updated 14th March 2025 at 06:38

First Practice

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, 14 March 2025

Rank	Driver	Number	Fastest Lap	Laps
1	Lando Norris McLaren	4	1:17.252	21
2	Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams	55	1:17.401	25
3	Charles Leclerc Ferrari	16	1:17.461	21
4	Oscar Piastri McLaren	81	1:17.670	20
5	Max Verstappen Red Bull	1	1:17.696	21
6	Alexander Albon Williams	23	1:17.713	18
7	George Russell Mercedes	63	1:17.716	26
8	Fernando Alonso Aston Martin	14	1:17.736	23
9	Isack Hadjar RB	6	1:17.847	25
10	Lance Stroll Aston Martin	18	1:18.057	20
11	Yuki Tsunoda RB	22	1:18.061	23
12	Lewis Hamilton Ferrari	44	1:18.071	20
13	Jack Doohan Alpine	7	1:18.232	20
14	Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes	12	1:18.390	25
15	Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber	5	1:18.438	22
16	Liam Lawson Red Bull	30	1:18.455	22
17	Pierre Gasly Alpine	10	1:18.505	23
18	Nico Hulkenberg Sauber	27	1:18.586	18
19	Esteban Ocon Haas	31	1:19.139	16
20	Oliver Bearman Haas	87	1:19.312	12

Last updated 14th March 2025 at 02:36

Qualification

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, 15 March 2025

= Fastest lap

Rank	Driver	Number	Qualifying 1	Qualifying 1	Qualifying 2	Qualifying 2	Qualifying 3	Qualifying 3	Time
1	Lando Norris McLaren	4	fastest lap 1:15.912	fastest lap 1:15.912	fastest lap 1:15.415	fastest lap 1:15.415	fastest lap 1:15.096	fastest lap 1:15.096	Qualifying 3, fastest lap 1:15.096
2	Oscar Piastri McLaren	81	1:16.062	1:16.062	1:15.468	1:15.468	1:15.180	1:15.180	Qualifying 3, 1:15.180
3	Max Verstappen Red Bull	1	1:16.018	1:16.018	1:15.565	1:15.565	1:15.481	1:15.481	Qualifying 3, 1:15.481
4	George Russell Mercedes	63	1:15.971	1:15.971	1:15.798	1:15.798	1:15.546	1:15.546	Qualifying 3, 1:15.546
5	Yuki Tsunoda RB	22	1:16.225	1:16.225	1:16.009	1:16.009	1:15.670	1:15.670	Qualifying 3, 1:15.670
6	Alexander Albon Williams	23	1:16.245	1:16.245	1:16.017	1:16.017	1:15.737	1:15.737	Qualifying 3, 1:15.737
7	Charles Leclerc Ferrari	16	1:16.029	1:16.029	1:15.827	1:15.827	1:15.755	1:15.755	Qualifying 3, 1:15.755
8	Lewis Hamilton Ferrari	44	1:16.213	1:16.213	1:15.919	1:15.919	1:15.973	1:15.973	Qualifying 3, 1:15.973
9	Pierre Gasly Alpine	10	1:16.328	1:16.328	1:16.112	1:16.112	1:15.980	1:15.980	Qualifying 3, 1:15.980
10	Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams	55	1:16.360	1:16.360	1:15.931	1:15.931	1:16.062	1:16.062	Qualifying 3, 1:16.062
11	Isack Hadjar RB	6	1:16.354	1:16.354	1:16.175	1:16.175	not available	not available	Qualifying 2, 1:16.175
12	Fernando Alonso Aston Martin	14	1:16.288	1:16.288	1:16.453	1:16.453	not available	not available	Qualifying 2, 1:16.453
13	Lance Stroll Aston Martin	18	1:16.369	1:16.369	1:16.483	1:16.483	not available	not available	Qualifying 2, 1:16.483
14	Jack Doohan Alpine	7	1:16.315	1:16.315	1:16.863	1:16.863	not available	not available	Qualifying 2, 1:16.863
15	Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber	5	1:16.516	1:16.516	1:17.520	1:17.520	not available	not available	Qualifying 2, 1:17.520
16	Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes	12	1:16.525	1:16.525	not available	not available	not available	not available	Qualifying 1, 1:16.525
17	Nico Hulkenberg Sauber	27	1:16.579	1:16.579	not available	not available	not available	not available	Qualifying 1, 1:16.579
18	Liam Lawson Red Bull	30	1:17.094	1:17.094	not available	not available	not available	not available	Qualifying 1, 1:17.094
19	Esteban Ocon Haas	31	1:17.147	1:17.147	not available	not available	not available	not available	Qualifying 1, 1:17.147
not available	Oliver Bearman Haas	87	not available	not available	not available	not available	not available	not available	Qualifying 1, not available

Last updated 15th March 2025 at 06:34

Race

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, 16 March 2025

= Fastest lap

Rank	Driver	Number	Grid	Fastest Lap	Race Time
1	Lando Norris McLaren	4	1	not available	no time
2	Oscar Piastri McLaren	81	2	not available	no time
3	Max Verstappen Red Bull	1	3	not available	no time
4	George Russell Mercedes	63	4	not available	no time
5	Yuki Tsunoda RB	22	5	not available	no time
6	Alexander Albon Williams	23	6	not available	no time
7	Charles Leclerc Ferrari	16	7	not available	no time
8	Lewis Hamilton Ferrari	44	8	not available	no time
9	Pierre Gasly Alpine	10	9	not available	no time
10	Carlos Sainz Jnr Williams	55	10	not available	no time
11	Isack Hadjar RB	6	11	not available	no time
12	Fernando Alonso Aston Martin	14	12	not available	no time
13	Lance Stroll Aston Martin	18	13	not available	no time
14	Jack Doohan Alpine	7	14	not available	no time
15	Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber	5	15	not available	no time
16	Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes	12	16	not available	no time
17	Nico Hulkenberg Sauber	27	17	not available	no time
18	Liam Lawson Red Bull	30	18	not available	no time
19	Esteban Ocon Haas	31	19	not available	no time
20	Oliver Bearman Haas	87	20	not available	no time

Last updated 15th March 2025 at 06:07

All times are UK and subject to change. BBC is not responsible for any changes.

Australian Grand Prix: Norris on pole with Hamilton eighth - reaction

Summary

Live Reporting

Norris takes Melbourne pole with Hamilton eighthpublished at 06:46 Greenwich Mean Time

Australian GP build-up from 03:00 GMT on Sundaypublished at 06:43 Greenwich Mean Time

'There is a lot to dissect' - Hamiltonpublished at 06:39 Greenwich Mean Time

Hamilton 'feels good'published at 06:34 Greenwich Mean Time

'It was quite tough' - Verstappenpublished at 06:29 Greenwich Mean Time

'Great start to the year' - Piastripublished at 06:26 Greenwich Mean Time

'When you put the car together it’s unbelievable' - Norrispublished at 06:23 Greenwich Mean Time

'Hamilton has been much stronger on race days'published at 06:20 Greenwich Mean Time

Norris on pole in Melbournepublished at 06:16 Greenwich Mean Time

And the restpublished at 06:11 Greenwich Mean Time

Top 10published at 06:08 Greenwich Mean Time

Postpublished at 06:05 Greenwich Mean Time

Chequered flagpublished at 06:03 Greenwich Mean Time

Postpublished at 06:02 Greenwich Mean Time

Norris on provisional polepublished at 06:00 Greenwich Mean Time

Postpublished at 05:59 Greenwich Mean Time

Top 10 after opening runspublished at 05:58 Greenwich Mean Time

'Without the damage it would have been a different qualifying' - Antonellipublished at 05:57 Greenwich Mean Time

Postpublished at 05:56 Greenwich Mean Time

'Not a good start for Norris'published at 05:55 Greenwich Mean Time

2025 Australian Grand Prix

3rd Practice

Second Practice

First Practice

Qualification

Race

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