Formula 1 finally returns to the track after more than three months with the engines off. At the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne, there are many novelties and uncertainties ahead of a 2025 Formula 1 season that we expect to be truly exciting, especially because we are in the final year with these technical regulations, and the performance level should be such that there is a significant balance among the top teams, with Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes fighting for the top positions, alternating depending on the track, while we expect the midfield to be closer, with Carlos Sainz‘s Williams playing an important role.
During the European night, the first free practice session took place in Melbourne. Ferrari finished third with Charles Leclerc and twelfth with Lewis Hamilton. The Monegasque, two-tenths behind session leader Lando Norris, started aggressively, attacking the curbs but maintaining a very balanced driving style. A slight lift was noted between turns 9 and 10, while the competitors completely lifted off the throttle. The front end was noted to be stiff, necessary for sharp and fast corners like those previously mentioned. The first part of the session was positive, with the drivers satisfied.
Lewis Hamilton also seemed very comfortable with the SF-25 single-seater. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion is trying to get familiar with the new car: he is less aggressive than Charles Leclerc, showing clean driving and pushing less than his Maranello teammate. After some setup changes and suspension modifications to better calibrate the car, perhaps a bit less feeling, although the handling still seemed excellent.
With the soft tires, both Ferrari cars showed good baseline balance. There was careful management during acceleration, avoiding fully exploiting the extra grip provided by the tires. This might seem like a limitation, but it is actually a strategic choice to reduce stress on the tires, allowing for more runs and reusing them later in the tests with high fuel loads.
The two Ferrari cars returned to the track with Medium tires to test the setup with a more consistent pace. Charles Leclerc was slower than Lewis Hamilton in the first sector but gained ground in the following ones. The British driver reported a slight understeer and asked for information on turn 6, where he had encountered issues in the first free practice session. His race engineer Riccardo Adami confirmed that the new mapping had improved rotation, combining brake sharing and differential on entry.
Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, needs to increase speed in turn 4, where he loses ground. After a double cool-down lap, they switched to Engine 1 mapping to test the power of the power unit, but both returned to the pits to adjust the front load. Overall, the car’s balance remained good, despite making a mistake in the third sector on his first attempt with the yellow tires: a shame, as his references were good.
The Monegasque driver suggests increasing rotation in turn 1, increasing speed on the apex of turn 6, and managing acceleration better between turns 13 and 14 through short shifting. Before the race simulation, they switched to the classic attempt with soft tires: cautious outlaps from both Ferrari drivers, recalling how this was a real weakness last year.
Charles Leclerc had good balance, but in turns 9-10, he was unable to fully exploit the track, while in turn 13, he made a small mistake. Very good in turn 6, with great responsiveness from the Ferrari SF-25. In the end, he managed to set the best time at 1.16.439.
Lewis Hamilton still had a delayed front end in the middle of the corner. It’s not something particularly troublesome, but still needs fine-tuning. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion has to work on the setup, especially since the track had changed significantly compared to this morning, gradually cleaning up. Fifth place for the Briton, four-tenths off the best time set by his Maranello teammate in the second free practice session for the Australian Grand Prix.
Refueling and off for the race simulation: mirrored strategy, with both SF-25 cars on Medium tires, the same ones used in the morning session. The approach was the same for both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with both lapping in the low 23, while their direct competitors were a second faster in the first lap, aiming not to stress the tires and achieve a rising pace throughout the stint.
Charles Leclerc’s balance was good, and he showed aggression, but by the fifth lap, a message came from the pit: manage tire wear in turns 6 and 9 and use a different gear shift technique on the exit to improve traction. Overall, the times were optimal, in line with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, despite the fact that traffic slowed the Monegasque driver on several laps, and the higher fuel load onboard showed how the starting position would be crucial.
As for Lewis Hamilton, the English champion seemingly struggled more but still managed to match his teammate’s pace. The feeling was good, although McLaren, considered a favorite on paper at the start of this 2025 Formula 1 season, did not seem any less competitive.
Mercedes worked differently, but still efficiently, at least visually, on hard tires. A question mark remains for Red Bull, with Max Verstappen only in seventh position, six-tenths behind Charles Leclerc, and a slower race pace compared to Ferrari and McLaren.
— see video above —
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