We’re embarking on something new! After each Grand Prix, we will create the RaceReport, allowing you to digitally relive the race weekend in an exclusive and playful manner. Reporter Frank Woestenburg will update you from Melbourne!
The Perfect Start to the Season
As a reporter, visiting the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne is always a delight. It’s a bit of a flight, but it’s well worth it, as they say. The event in Albert Park always unfolds in a festival-like atmosphere, with the summer temperatures naturally lending a hand. And even in the rain (Sunday), the party goes on.
Fortunately, the race Down Under is once again the opener of the F1 season, as it was in the past before succumbing to the big money from Bahrain. Melbourne is the perfect location for the season’s kickoff, this year more than ever due to the local influences on the grid, with two Australians (Oscar Piastri and Jack Doohan) and a New Zealand Kiwi (Liam Lawson).
In Australia, they are particularly excited about Oscar Piastri, who, according to the majority of his compatriots, could potentially make a surprising grab for the title, at the expense of his teammate Lando Norris and defending champion Max Verstappen. Piastri – nickname: OP81 – has the speed, is cool under pressure, and also has the best equipment at McLaren, so why not?
A local in St. Kilda, the trendy district in Melbourne where my hotel is conveniently located, describes it aptly and in a typically Australian (thus unpolished) way: “He will destroy all of them…”
We’ll see. The start is promising, to say the least…
A Brief Atmosphere Impression of the Weekend:
The Quote from Max
“Last year, I dropped out in Australia, but this year I finished second. So, in that regard, I’m eighteen points ahead. It was a challenging race due to the wet conditions, but I did have fun along the way. It feels good to know that I could compete for the win until the last turn with this car. We’re still lacking some speed compared to McLaren, but this is certainly a promising start. Next stop, China.”
TOP / FLOP
Who or what exceeded expectations? Or fell short? After every Grand Prix, we present the TOP and FLOP of the race weekend! Starting in Australia and highlighting the difference between the young and the old!
Highlight: Kimi Antonelli
In 2015, Max Verstappen made his debut in Melbourne as F1’s star of the future. Ten years and four Verstappen titles later, that status of promising talent has been passed on to Kimi Antonelli (18). However, after a disappointing Formula 2 season, not everyone was convinced of his class prior to the Australian Grand Prix. In the rain in Melbourne, Antonelli then proved them wrong. While one rookie after another was spinning off the track, the youngest of them all was the exception to the rule. A good strategy helped, but still: the Mercedes talent drove sovereignly from P16 to P4. And that at his debut, with a lot of pressure on his shoulders and under the most difficult conditions. Impressive!
Lowlight: Lewis Hamilton
Slick videos, beautiful words, a boost in merchandise sales, stunning images, and enthusiastic fans: in the run-up to the opening race in Australia, the conversation for weeks, even months, was all about Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari, a pairing many considered a match made in heaven. His eighth title, and that in the red car? Hamilton fans and Ferrari enthusiasts dreamt of it. They, like Hamilton and the team, were rudely awakened in Melbourne: eighth in the qualification, tenth in the race. While commercially and from a marketing perspective Hamilton and Ferrari may be a match, the opening weekend turned out to be a sporting flop.
Behind the Scenes
A glimpse behind the scenes at the Australian Grand Prix!
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Additional Observations from Melbourne
Ayao Komatsu, team boss of Haas F1 Team with Aboriginals on the grid. (Getty Images)
Kimi Antonelli in the paddock with his sister. (Getty Images)
Three Questions for… Stoffel Vandoorne
Belgian Stoffel Vandoorne continues his role as the third driver for Aston Martin this season, the team of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. Besides simulator work at the factory in Silverstone, his role during a GP weekend primarily involves sponsor activities, waiting, and observing.
Stoffel, do you find satisfaction in your role during such weekends or do you feel the itch to participate?
“Of course, I’d rather be behind the wheel. I’m fortunate that I can also race in Formula E and the WEC. Otherwise, it would be unbearable to be in the paddock every GP weekend and never drive. You have to stay active.”
What can we expect from Aston Martin this season?
“The field is very close this year. The results will vary per circuit, so we’re still waiting to see exactly where we stand. We still need to make significant strides, as we’re certainly not at the level we want to be. Every team will shift focus to 2026 at some point. Teams that are not super competitive can do this earlier than teams that are fully in the running for the championship. For us, it’s important that we finish in a good position in the constructors’ championship, as there’s a lot of money at stake. That’s where our full focus is now.”
Finally, would you like to make a prediction regarding the title fight?
“That’s a tough one. For the constructors’ title, I’m betting on McLaren. In the drivers’ championship, it will initially be between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. And of course, don’t forget Max. If the cars are close together, he can certainly make a difference as a driver.”
FORMULA 1 PODCAST
In the Paddock Talk Update, we discuss the spectacular Australian Grand Prix with reporter Frank Woestenburg. Lando Norris has had a strong start to 2025 and won the race. Although Max Verstappen finished impressively in second place, he knows that Red Bull needs to step up to catch up with McLaren. Furthermore, not all the many rookies made a good impression, and Frank has received some special news from Verstappen’s management. In short, there’s plenty to talk about in this update from Melbourne!
UP NEXT: 2025 China Grand Prix
Following the season opener in Australia, the Formula 1 circus moves to Shanghai for the China Grand Prix, the second race on the 2025 calendar. Below is the full schedule for the race weekend, including times in UTC.
Friday, March 21
- First free practice: 02:30 – 03:30 UTC
- Second free practice: 06:00 – 07:00 UTC
Saturday, March 22
- Third free practice: 02:30 – 03:30 UTC
- Qualification: 06:00 – 07:00 UTC
Sunday, March 23
- Race: 06:00 UTC
