F1: Charles Leclerc took the best at the start of the Australian GP
The Monegasco was the fastest with Ferrari and became the pleasure of starting better than his brand new companion, nothing less than Lewis Hamilton. The McLaren were strong and Yuki Tsunoda surprised. Max Verstappen, far. Jack Doohan, in front of Pierre Gasly.
There is no cup, of course. He did not break the champagne, of course. It doesn’t even pass near the podium. It was just about the training day of the Australian GP, the first date of the 76th Formula 1 season. But Charles Leclerc needed to step firm on a floor that creaked inside Ferrari. And it is not for less: the pompous arrival of Lewis Hamilton shook his bookshelf. The Monegasco is the spoiled child of Maranello, who emerged from the lower ones and on whom he put the greatest hope of winning a title that denies a while ago: since 2007 in the pilot championship and since 2008 in builders. The arrival of heptacampeon, for more confidence that you have, shocks. Therefore, having remained above all in the General of Melbourne’s essays and taking out 420 thousandths in English is, without a doubt, a small victory, a little fresh air in the tension that has to live these days.
Of course, there is no prize for having been the fastest in essays. But he beat Hamilton. And it wasn’t just that. He also surpassed the two McLaren, the team that premieres as champion of builders and that began the exercise as the great candidate. In previous many they risked to put the Cavallino as the rival potential of Woking’s and was reflected in the times at a return in Melbourne. Hamilton did not have a good time on his first day. It was hard for him to carry his SF-25, complained on the radio several times for subviring and did not find himself comfortable. The positive thing for English is that it was only a day of practices.
The McLaren were also strong, with Oscar Piastri finally ahead of Lando Norris (English had been the fastest of the initial batch). But the power of papaya cars is there and it shows. In the race rhythm they were even with Ferrari, it seems that they are the two teams with advantage, although they were complicated batches, very dirt on the track. The Leca of curves five and six ended in the asphalt many times and, to that, the leaves that fly are added.
There was room for surprises on the first day. Because in front of Hamilton Yuki tsunoda was located with Racing Bulls. In the last year within the family of energy drinks and after not having convinced to hit the leap to the main theme, there the Japanese walked in the fourth place. The good walk of the Faenza Team was completed with the sixth place of the debutant Isack Hadjar. And if it is about surprises, Nico Hülkenberg showed a great walk on a return with his Sauber. It was not close in the race rhythm, but clearly the Ferrari engine pushes.
And Max Verstappen? Lost. The champion fought against an indocile Red Bull, walked outside the track and was barely seventh. But Liam Lawson passed it, his partner, who was 17th and even touched the wall in the first essay. Can the Dutch be discarded? Not in dreams. It would not be the first time in the Max race that has a gray Friday and on Saturday it ends with a place in the first row of start.
Jack Doohan beat Pierre Gasly
Alpine’s duel is followed by Argentine fans. With Franco Colapinto in the box, fulfilling his reserve pilot task, Jack Doohan put aside all the rumors and the noise that points to his near future and was faster than Pierre Gasly in the two batches. The fastest turn of the Australian was 99 thousandths better than that of the Frenchman. They were extremely even in the partials and in the race rhythm, the French Team chose to turn gasly with soft tires and Mick’s son with media. After loading fuel, the Gallic began with better records, but after three turns, the place was better and remained very constant in its time, far from the McLaren and Ferrari (even that the Racing Bulls and Williams), but better than those of the experienced Gasly.
The first day of the year of Formula 1 2025 passed. They were just training. In the classification that will be played in the early hours of Latin America, you can have a much more firm and precise notion about the level of pilots and teams. It will be the time in which no one can save anything and put everything. And, as data at all less, all the career work this Friday could fall into a broken bag if the rain forecast for Sunday is fulfilled. There, to shuffle and give new and anything can happen.
SECOND TRAINING RESULT
