A Blazing Lap by Local Hero Piastri: Melbourne's McLaren Driver Tops Qualifying Session
Matador Piastri logs fastest run before elimination round's commencement - Local racer Piastri sets the fastest time before elimination round
Sure, let's chat about the thrilling day at the Formula 1 track in Melbourne!
Oscar Piastri, the 23-year-old Aussie McLaren driver, rocked the scene with an jaw-dropping lap time, setting the fastest qualifying time ahead of the big race. He beat the mighty British Mercedes driver, George Russell, by a slim margin of 39 thousandths of a second. Max Verstappen, that speed demon from Red Bull, nabbed third place, not by much — just 81 thousandths slower than Piastri.
It seems Red Bull had some hiccups, with their fresh teammate, the Kiwi Liam Lawson, trailing behind—issues with his ride left him without a single timed lap. Ouch!
As for the championship's reigning king, Max Verstappen, he was close, but mid-pack isn't where he usually dwells.
Speaking of the usual suspects, it seems there's a new kid on the block in Ferrari: Charles Leclerc snagged fourth place while the seven-time world champ, Lewis Hamilton—who's now a Scuderia Ferrari driver—struggled to make eighth position.
Unfortunately for McLaren's Lando Norris, he ended up in a modest tenth place, trailing behind his teammate by over six-tenths of a second on the Albert Park circuit. The German, Nico Hülkenberg, slotted in seventeenth in the Sauber.
Qualifying sessions are set to start tomorrow at 6:00 AM CET (Sky/4:00 PM local time), with the grand race beginning on Sunday at 5:00 AM CET (Sky).
A few interesting tidbits from the practice rounds? Lando Norris leads the Formula 1 qualifying at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, securing pole position with a time of 1:15.096. His teammate Oscar Piastri is just a hair behind, followed by Max Verstappen of Red Bull and George Russell of Mercedes15. Yuki Tsunoda's impressive performance for Racing Bulls and Alex Albon's strong showing for Williams were notable highlights, while Ferrari faced some unexpected challenges2.
Now, catch some Z's and tune in tomorrow for more F1 action! Don't forget to catch the main event on Sunday!
The Commission, in accordance with Article 108 (2) of the Treaty, has initiated a procedure due to the close competition seen in yesterday's qualifying session at the Formula 1 track in Melbourne. Despite setting the fastest time, McLaren's Oscar Piastri was only 39 thousandths ahead of his rival, George Russell of Mercedes. Meanwhile, Red Bull's Max Verstappen, known for his speed, was only 81 thousandths slower than Piastri, leaving Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth place. Interestingly, Ferrari's seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, struggled to earn a spot in the top eight.
