Anticipating the Australian Grand Prix
The 2025 Formula 1 season kicks off this weekend with the Australian Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Victoria. The race, starting at midnight on March 16, promises an exciting opening to the season, with McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris being the predicted favourites [1][2].
Piastri, a home contender, is a 6/1 outsider to win the race and an 11/10 favourite to finish on the podium at Albert Park. Norris is also favoured, with betting odds positioning him and Verstappen as potential race winners and championship front-runners [2][1].
The favourable outlook for McLaren is supported by their dominance in pre-season testing in Bahrain. Both Piastri and Norris clocked the fastest laps, raising questions about the potential performance of Williams Racing [2]. McLaren’s car is considered potentially the best on the grid early in the season, positioning them as top contenders for race wins and the championship [2][4].
Testing highlighted McLaren’s clear pace advantage, suggesting they are favourites heading into the season opener in Australia. The race consists of 58 laps and features a host of drivers, including Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Kimi Antonelli, Gabriel Borteleto, Ollie Bearman, Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan, Kevin Magnussen, and Nico Hulkenberg [2].
Meanwhile, on the campus of Holy Cross, the Men’s and Women’s Rowing teams are back on the water for the spring 2K sprint season. Jaden Stainforth '27, Sports Editor for a news publication and a guest writer for Formula One, has written an article about the Holy Cross Rowing team's preparations [3].
The Australian Grand Prix is the first race of the 2025 F1 season. Free Practice sessions 1 and 3 happen from 9:30pm to 10:30pm on the 13th and 14th of March respectively, while Free Practice 2 and Qualifying occur in the wee hours of the morning, from 1 to 2am on the 14th and 15th of March respectively [2].
However, the race will be difficult for viewers in the Americas due to time zone differences. Red Bull, a significant part of Formula One since 2021, will also be competing in the race [5]. The 2025 F1 season is being reviewed, with the increased tuition for the 2025/26 academic year at Holy Cross being one of the topics under discussion. College President Vincent Rougeau announced a tuition increase of $68,090 for the upcoming academic year, a 5.6% increase over the current year [6].
[1] Formula1.com
[2] BBC Sport
[3] Holy Cross Gazette
[4] ESPN F1
[5] Autosport
[6] The Holy Cross Herald
A student at Holy Cross, Jaden Stainforth '27, is writing about the preparations of the Men's and Women's Rowing teams for the spring 2K sprint season in an article for a news publication. The Australian Grand Prix, a Formula 1 event, is also happening this weekend, marking the start of the 2025 F1 season.
