Charles Leclerc fastest for Ferrari in second Australian GP practice

Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 14, 2025 Ferrari's Charles Leclerc during practice — Charles Leclerc ended the second practice session for the Australian Grand Prix fastest for Ferrari - Reuters/Edgar Su

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished second practice for Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix fastest, just over a tenth of a second faster than McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

McLaren and Ferrari are expected to be the two strongest teams heading into the season and the early indications appear to back that up. Lando Norris, the bookmakers’ favourite for the 2025 drivers’ title, was third, just 0.141sec off Leclerc’s pace.

Lewis Hamilton, who is making his Ferrari debut in Melbourne this weekend, was fifth and just over four-tenths off his team-mate’s ultimate pace.

It was, however, a messy session for defending champion Max Verstappen. The Dutch Red Bull driver had several snaps of oversteer in a car that looked difficult to handle. He could only finish seventh, more than six-tenths off Leclerc. His team-mate Liam Lawson was all the way down in 17th.

Mercedes appeared to have good pace on the medium and hard tyres but struggled on the soft-tyre runs, ultimately ending up in 10th and 17th for George Russell and Kimi Antonelli respectively.

Haas’s Oliver Bearman did not manage a lap in the second practice session at Albert Park, as his car was not repaired in time after his crash in FP1 earlier in the day.

Qualifying takes place tomorrow with the season-opening grand prix scheduled to run in changeable conditions on Sunday.

06:52 AM GMT

A reminder of remaining session times

Saturday March 15
FP3 – 1.30am GMT
Qualifying – 5am

Sunday March 16
Australian Grand Prix – 4am

06:24 AM GMT

Lando Norris speaks... he seems not too happy

“So, so. It has been a good start to the weekend, we’ve got a good baseline. Not happy... not confident with the car in terms of finding the best balance and being consistent enough, especially on low fuel. I think that high fuel felt good, just low fuel, similar to Bahrain, too many inconsistencies, too many problems. A bit of a struggle.”

06:19 AM GMT

Mercedes’ George Russell on an ‘up and down day’

He finished in 10th but had a few moments in both sessions.

“It was a really up and down day because every time we had the medium or hard tyre on we were right in the top two and the car felt good. When we put the soft on we didn’t go much quicker. Clearly there is a bit of pace in the car and it’s just getting the most out of the tyres so we need to just understand why that is.
“Let’s see what we can achieve overnight. If the session stopped after the hard tyre and after the medium tyre in FP1 I would say we are there or thereabouts. But you don’t qualify on the hard or medium tyre, you qualify on the soft tyre and we don’t seem so competitive on that.”

06:16 AM GMT

Oscar Piastri speaks after his P2 in FP2

“I would say pretty encouraging. The pace was pretty solid. Still a few things to try and iron out and make the car feel a bit nicer but I think the underlying pace seems strong. Pretty happy with the day’s work.
“How much today we means, we don’t know but feels pretty good. Ferrari have looked pretty quick and Mercedes at other points as well. Things are looking good but we don’t want to just try and aim for the podium, we want to aim for the top step.”

06:10 AM GMT

What have we learnt from that?

Well, difficult to say at this point definitively, obviously. The Red Bull looks to be a handful, certainly. Surprised to see RB so high up the order, though. I think everything else is roughly what we expected. Mercedes in 10th and 16th is not a great showing on paper but I would not be worried too much about that just yet.

06:04 AM GMT

FP2 - Classification

LEC 1:16.439
PIA +0.124
NOR +0.141
TSU +0.345
HAM +0.420
HAD +0.580
VER +0.624
HUL +0.722
STR +0.840
RUS +0.843
SAI +0.863
ALB +0.863
ALO +0.891
DOO +0.955
GAS +1.054
ANT +1.195
LAW +1.201
BOR +1.408
OCO +1.595
BEA (NO TIME)

Sainz and Albon with exactly the same time, there.

06:01 AM GMT

FP2 ENDS

Leclerc heads Piastri, Norris, Tsunoda and Hamilton. Bearman does not make it out of the pit lane for a lap.

Full session classification coming up shortly.

05:57 AM GMT

FP2 - Bearman getting his helmet on

Might be able to do an out lap, fast lap and in lap. If they bother with a fast lap. Some laps are better than none but useful to check the car is working fine after it was repaired following the heavy crash in FP1.

05:55 AM GMT

FP2 - Into the final 10 minutes at Albert Park

A quick long(er) run comparison of most recent lap times:

Norris 1:21.916 after six laps on medium tyres
Piastri 1:22.175 after six laps on the medium tyres
Leclerc 1:21.771 after seven laps on the medium tyres
Hamilton 1:22.253 after seven laps on the medium tyres
Russell 1:21.739 after nine laps on the hard tyres
Verstappen 1:22.290 after two laps on the medium tyres

05:49 AM GMT

FP2 - Changes made to Verstappen’s Red Bull

Never looked comfortable in it out there with a handful of minor moments that cost him chunks of lap time. Encouraging signs of the closeness of the field, though: just 1.054sec separates the top 15. That said, there is nearly six-tenths between first and sixth...

05:47 AM GMT

FP2 - 15 minutes remain

We are into the race simulations section of the session. Still no sign of Bearman. Encouraging for Hulkenberg to be up in seventh. I don’t think he will be there for qualifying but, to be honest, I had kind of written off Sauber as no hopers this year.

Australian Grand Prix - Practice - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 14, 2025 Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg during practice

05:41 AM GMT

FP2 - Verstappen moved up to seventh

Still 0.624sec off the ultimate pace of Leclerc, who has set a 1min16.439sec. Pole last year was a 1min15.915 so we are almost within half a second of that in FP2.

05:38 AM GMT

FP2 - 22 mins remain

McLaren’s Zak Brown speaks to Sky Sports about his team’s session.

“Good. We’re doing our thing. Car has looked strong, drivers look comfortable. I still think we can improve the car... but so far so good.”

Racing Bulls in fourth and sixth at the moment. Red Bull in seventh and 17th.

05:37 AM GMT

FP2 - Updated order as Leclerc goes fastest

LEC
PIA +0.124
NOR +0.141
TSU +0.345
HAM +0.420
HAD +0.580
STR +0.840
RUS +0.843
SAI +0.863
ALO +0.891

Other notable runners: Verstappen in 11th, Antonelli in 15th, Lawson in 16th. Bearman still to emerge from the garage after crashing his car in FP1.

05:33 AM GMT

Hadjar not happy with this

📻 "He didn't even see me"

Isack Hadjar seems to get held up at Turn 1 😬#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/FaGCCiQez2
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 14, 2025

And rightly so. Rather ruined his lap.

05:32 AM GMT

FP2 - Russell on another soft-tyre run

But he is well off the pace. Karun Chandhok and Sky reckons it is a “balance-check run”. In other words, not a qualifyng simulation and with a bit more fuel in the tank.

05:30 AM GMT

FP2 - Verstappen on a soft-tyre run

The Red Bull is unstable on entry to turn three and backs out of his lap. That corner is tricky at the best of times and it does appear to be windy out there. Mind you, it wasn’t great at turn one, either. Piastri moves up into third but then Norris goes fastest of all. 0.403sec between the two McLaren drivers.

05:27 AM GMT

FP2 - Antonelli finding the limit

Dipping wheels into the gravel here and there. Nothing that will cost him too much time but it is not a great lap in any case, 0.8sec down and in ninth.

Stroll into the top three, Tsunoda fastest of anyone on his soft tyre run. Decent.

05:25 AM GMT

FP2 - Lawson not pulling up any trees

Currently down in 18th and beginning a soft-tyre run in the Red Bull. Not sure he’s getting in the top few here...

He crosses the line and improves to 14th, still, 1.459sec off Leclerc’s time. Not the tidiest lap.

Norris is on the soft tyres too and sets the fastest first sector time of anyone.

McLaren's British driver Lando Norris drives during the second practice session of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on March 14, 2025

05:20 AM GMT

FP2 - Current top 10 and gaps

LEC
HAM +0.400
SAI +0.508
RUS +0.509
NOR +0.681
PIA +0.701
ALB +0.810
TSU +0.856
HAD +1.047
DOO +1.057

Both Ferrari drivers improve and move to 1-2, with Leclerc four-tenths ahead of Hamilton.

05:17 AM GMT

FP2 - Leclerc makes a mess of his lap

So much of a mess, with a couple of moments, that he aborts it before he gets to the line.

Australian Grand Prix - Practice - Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia - March 14, 2025 Ferrari's Charles Leclerc during practice

Gasly takes a trip through the gravel in the Alpine at turn three. “I can’t brake,” he says, “I just keep locking up”.

05:13 AM GMT

FP2 - Sainz goes fastest

The new Williams driver, who was second in FP1, and posts a time that is 0.263sec faster than Russell’s previous best. I do hope the Williams is competitive this season. Sainz deserves it, so does Albon.

Déjà vu 😅

Ten minutes in, and Carlos sends it into P1 💙 pic.twitter.com/HUXV4ZCnJW
— Atlassian Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) March 14, 2025

Meanwhile, Norris gets an enormous snap of oversteer at turn three but just manages to keep it out of the gravel. Nico Hulkenberg does not manage that at turn six, though.

A dramatic moment through the gravel for Nico Hulkenberg at Turn 6 😲#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/Jp0BSd37dn
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 14, 2025

05:10 AM GMT

FP2 - Russell goes fastest

On the hard compound tyre, too. 0.106sec faster than Norris. Hamilton improves to seventh but is still four-tenths down on the fastest time of the day.

05:08 AM GMT

FP2 - Verstappen’s first time is not great

0.839 sec down on Norris. Hamilton in eighth below him, though.

05:06 AM GMT

FP2 - Hulkenberg has to pit

He has a safety ‘catch’ (?) from the fire extinguisher that he has to drop back at the pits. Not ideal.

Lando Norris posts a 1:17.671 on his first flying lap on the medium tyres. Piastri half a second behind after his first lap and in fourth. A lot of action early on here.

Verstappen gets a snap mid-way through turn one, the rear end stepping out. The Red Bull has been doing that...

05:03 AM GMT

FP2 - Norris and Lawson continue their battle

Norris gets through at turn nine, though it is not the case that Lawson was fighting it exactly.

05:03 AM GMT

FP2 - A bit of a ‘scuffle’ at the end of the pit lane

Lawson and Norris vying for space. No harm, no foul, though.

"excuse me, coming through.." pic.twitter.com/pKOUrg2gRh
— The Race (@wearetherace) March 14, 2025

Norris doing a practice start, Lawson got in the way.

05:01 AM GMT

A reminder of the the driver line-ups in 2025

05:00 AM GMT

FP2 is go!

Here we go... an hour of free practice. Haas are still repairing Oliver Bearman’s car.

04:56 AM GMT

We are nearly ready go get going

Let’s see what the 20 drivers and 10 teams have got for FP2 at Albert Park. A slightly underwhelming start for Lewis Hamilton but nobody cares where you finish first practice, it’s where you finish the race.

04:54 AM GMT

There was a big moment for George Russell too...

A close call for George 👀 pic.twitter.com/2AdViJPc6N
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 14, 2025

04:46 AM GMT

Watch: Bearman crashes in FP1

Not the best start to the season for young Oliver Bearman...

Ollie Bearman's big moment in practice one 💥 pic.twitter.com/8I90HUK9Zd
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 14, 2025

04:44 AM GMT

Times after second practice

NOR 1:17.252
SAI +0.149
LEC +0.209
PIA +0.418
VER +0.444
ALB +0.461
RUS +0.464
ALO +0.484
HAD +0.595
STR +0.805
TSU +0.809
HAM +0.819
DOO +0.980
ANT +1.138
BOR +1.186
LAW +1.203
GAS +1.253
HUL +1.334
OCO +1.887
BEA +2.060

04:30 AM GMT

Good morning F1 fans and welcome back

After a long wait, Formula One finally returns with meaningful running for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. There has been a lot to mull on throughout the winter with the biggest storyline being Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari. There are other big questions, too. Can Lando Norris deliver a first driver’s title? Will Hamilton have the better of Charles Leclerc? Will Max Verstappen being in the mix for Red Bull?

Anyway, it is not too long until we start to get some definitive answers to all of these. The cars took to the track for the first time a few hours ago at Albert Park and it was Norris who topped the timesheets for McLaren with a 1min17.252 lap time. That was 0.149sec faster than his former McLaren team-mate and current Williams driver Carlos Sainz, with Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari slightly further back.

How did Hamilton fare in his first competitive session for the Scuderia? He was 12th, and 0.819sec off the pace. It would be wrong to read too much into the lap times at this early stage but that is all we have. Hopefully second practice will give us a better read on how things stand. In any case, it will be more information to pore over. Of course, we do not have to wait much longer until we get qualifying, which takes place tomorrow. Then most, if not all, of those uncertainties will become more concrete.

Anyway, second practice begins in a little under 30 minutes. We will be here for all of that.

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