Oscar Piastri topped the final practice of McLaren on the Australian Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton was only eighth ahead of his Ferrari -qualifying debut.
The top teams appeared closely matched in the last 60 minutes of exercise at the opening round of the Formula One season, but it was Piastri who tried to win his homemade for the first time topping the Timesheet with a 1: 15,921.
The Australian only set the 0.039s free of Mercedes’ George Russell, with the reigning world champion Max Verstappen also within a tenth of a second of the leading time for Red Bull.
Piastris teammate Lando Norris also had a strong pace, but was only 10. After rescuing in the final sector in a lap that seemed to put him at least in the top three.
Ferrari had performed on Friday to be McLaren’s most likely challengers, but was out of kind when Friday’s tempo set Leclerc could only control the fourth and ended the 0.267s back from Piastri when he complained to too much oversteer.
Hamilton was less vocals over team radio, but seemed to experience similar matches as he blasted a final qualification simulation in the final moments of the session with a mistake in the first sector, leaving the seven-time world champion for almost half a second from the pace in the eighth.
Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli – Hamilton’s replacement in Mercedes after his Blockbuster moving to Ferrari – produced a solid show to demand the fifth.
Williams cemented their status as the midfield track is most likely to challenge the established top four teams in the qualification as Carlos Sainz elaborated on teammate Alex Albon for the sixth.
While Verstappen, chasing a fifth consecutive driver’s title, showed significant improvement that had fought on Friday, his new teammate Liam Lawson was on the field for only two laps before a power unit ended his session early.
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Craig Slater ends the best of the action you may have missed from Friday’s practice on the Australian Grand Prix.
British rookie Oliver Bearsman continued a nightmare start on his first full season in F1 as another accident on so many days left him tremendously under prepared for qualification.
Bearman, who missed all other practices on Friday after injuring his car with a major crash in the opening session, spun this time his haas in a gravel trap after dipping a wheel on the grass on his approach to turning 11.
While the car seemed to avoid major damage from the incident and should be ready to qualify, Bearsman has been able to participate in just 40 minutes of the three hours of exercise.
Sky Sports F1’s Live Australian GP Plan
Saturday, March 15th
- 04.15: Australian GP-qualifying Building*
- 05:00: Australian GP qualification*
- 07:00: Teds qualifying notebook*
7.30pm: Australian GP -Qualification PLAY* (9 am at Sky Showcase) - 21.55: F3 FEATURE RACE*
Sunday 16 March
- 12.25: F2 Feature Race*
- 2.30: Australian GP-Building: Grand Prix Sunday*
- 04:00: The Australian Grand Prix*
- 06:00: Australian GP -Reafreaf: Controlled Flag*
- 07:00: Teds Notebook*
- 7.55: Australian GP Race Replay
- 10:00 pm: Australian GP -Height Points (also on Sky Showcase)
- 19:00: Villeneuve Pironi – Racing’s countless tragedy
*Also on Sky Sports Main Event
See all 24 races weekends from 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1Starting with the Australian doctor on 14-16. March. Stream Sky Sports With Now – No Contract, Cancel anytime