F1 Australian GP LIVE: Practice results and qualifying start time as Lewis Hamilton makes pole prediction

F1 AUSTRALIAN GP - LATEST UPDATES

• F1 returns this weekend with the Australian GP kicking off the 2025 season
• Lando Norris quickest in FP1; Charles Leclerc fastest in FP2
• Qualifying starts at 5am (GMT) on Saturday morning
• Ollie Bearman sustains heavy crash in FP1
• ANALYSIS: Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari F1 are a ‘perfect match’ – but will results live up to the hype?

Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in practice for the Australian Grand Prix as his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc led the way in Melbourne.

Leclerc ended Formula One’s first running of the new season 0.124 seconds ahead of McLaren driver and home favourite Oscar Piastri. Lando Norris, billed as the pre-season championship favourite, topped the opening session. However, he had to settle for third later in the day, 0.141 sec off Leclerc’s pace.

Yet it was a nightmare day for Ollie Bearman, who crashed in first practice on his full-time debut in the sport for Haas.

Qualifying starts at 5am (GMT) on Saturday morning, with the race on Sunday at 4pm (GMT).

Hamilton: It's too soon for pole

Lewis Hamilton says he does not expect to be on pole this weekend in Melbourne.

"For me I think it's a little bit early (to go for pole) as I continue to learn the car, but never say never.

"I will give it everything and (I'm) just not putting too much pressure on. Try and enjoy it. I have some pace to find. I know where to find it. It's just about going out and doing it."

Lewis Hamilton on the pressure of racing for Ferrari:

“The pressure I’ve put on myself has been ten times higher than any pressure put upon me.

“I haven’t been made to feel any pressure, I know what I can deliver and it’s just getting my head down.

“No expectations this weekend, getting used to this new car. Ferrari power is new, different vibrations, different feel.”

Zak Brown claims McLaren have ‘best driver line-up’ in F1 after Oscar Piastri deal

Oscar Piastri has signed a multi-year deal with McLaren on the eve of the opening race of the new Formula 1 season, as the Australian seeks a first championship title at last year’s constructors’-winning team.

He finished fourth last year, winning in Hungary before claiming a second victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and is one of the favourites for this season.

Piastri was already under contract until 2026 and has now secured his future with the British team until at least 2028.

Read McLaren head honcho Zak Brown’s thoughts on the deal:

Zak Brown claims McLaren have ‘best driver line-up’ in F1 after Oscar Piastri deal

Michael Schumacher tribute unveiled by son Mick and Sebastian Vettel

A group of prominent Formula 1 figures showed their support for Michael Schumacher at the Race of Champions in Sydney as they urged the seven-time world champion to “keep fighting”.

Mick Schumacher, the German great’s son, and former F1 driver Sebastian Vettel were among those in attendance as a banner was unveiled at the Accor Stadium.

Schumacher suffered a traumatic brain injury in a skiing accident in 2013 and has not since been seen in public, with few updates provided by his family about his health as he rehabilitates privately.

Michael Schumacher tribute unveiled by son Mick and Sebastian Vettel: ‘Keep fighting’

Lando Norris after P3 in FP2:

“So so. It was a pretty good start to the weekend, we’ve got a good baseline. Not confident with the car in terms of right balance, particularly on low fuel. Similar to Bahrain, bit of a struggle.

“I think we’ll be strong.”

PRACTICE REPORT: Lewis Hamilton trails Charles Leclerc in Australian GP practice after Ollie Bearman suffers big crash

Hamilton trails Leclerc in practice after Bearman suffers big crash in Australia

Kimi Antonelli ahead of Mercedes debut:

“It was quite a positive day, work to do on a single lap, getting the tyres in a solid window. More and more confidence lap by lap.

“It’s a bit too early to say for the weekend, the car felt good, we’ll see what we can do tomorrow.”

George Russell after practice and finishing P10:

“It was a really up and down day, mediums/hards was good, put the softs on and didn’t go much quicker.

On spin at turn 4: “Pushed the limits a bit too much then!”

Oscar Piastri after practice:

“It was pretty encouraging, pace was pretty solid, still a few issues to iron out but the underlying pace seems strong. Pretty happy with today’s work.

“The weather is going to be pretty different on Sunday, that will put some spanners in the works.”

FULL FP2 RESULTS:

Charles goes quickest in second practice 💨

Here's the final FP2 classification 👇#F1#AusGPpic.twitter.com/Mw4VZSp99V

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 14, 2025

F1 qualifying start time and schedule!

Here are all the timings for all the action in Melbourne this weekend!

All times GMT

Saturday 15 March

• Free practice 3: 1:30am
• Qualifying: 5am

Sunday 16 March

• Race: 4am

FP2 RESULTS - TOP-10:

1. Charles Leclerc - 1:16:439

2. Oscar Piastri +0.124 secs

3. Lando Norris +0.141

4. Yuki Tsunoda +0.345

5. Lewis Hamilton +0.420

6. Isack Hadjar +0.580

7. Max Verstappen +0.624

8. Nico Hulkenberg +0.722

9. Lance Stroll +0.840

10. George Russell +0.843

Charles Leclerc fastest!

The Ferrari driver was fastest with a 1:18:439, 0.124 seconds quicker than Oscar Piastri in second with Lando Norris in third.

4-10: Tsunoda, Hamilton, Hadjar, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Stroll, Russell

Both Racing Bulls ahead of Red Bull!

With Tsunoda in fourth and Hadjar in sixth, both drivers of the sister team are ahead of Max Verstappen (7th) and Liam Lawson (17th).

Not something you often see! A lot of drivers on medium tyres now as practice concludes here...

Bearman unlikely to make it out

Not looking good for Bearman with 10 minutes to go - his car is still up on the stand in the garage.

No track time in this session for the 19-year-old looks likely now...

McLaren boss Zak Brown, speaking to Sky Sports:

“Car looks strong, they’re comfortable - so far, so good.

“Everyone is still learning about their cars, we need to get it be a bit more complaint, need to optimise it. One step a time, we’re happy.”

Charles Leclerc goes P1!

A statement from the Ferrari driver!

He goes P1, 0.141 seconds quicker than Norris - who drops to third as Oscar Piastri squeezes into second.

Lewis Hamilton is now fifth-fastest, four-tenths off his teammate in first.

Lance Stroll goes off track!

The Aston Martin goes off track at turn 1, but simply goes across the grass and rejoins!

Stroll is currently P7.

Incidentally, Bearman still not out on track with 25 minutes left...

Lando Norris goes fastest!

The McLaren driver is dialled in today!

The Briton goes quickest with a 1:16:580, two-tenths quicker than Yuki Tsunoda.

3-10: Leclerc, Piastri, Hamilton, Stroll, Russell, Sainz, Alonso, Verstappen

Max Verstapen unstable!

Verstappen on a push lap backs out after turn 3 after struggling to control the car.

Concerned faces on the Red Bull pit wall...

Yuki Tsunoda goes P1!

A rapid time from the Japanese driver!

On the soft tyres, he goes top of the tree by 0.010 seconds to Charles Leclerc!

An early statement from the Racing Bulls driver...

HAAS UPDATE:

Bearman and his team are “planning to make it out during FP2.”

Charles Leclerc goes fastest!

The Monegasque goes above old teammate Carlos Sainz, while Lewis Hamilton makes it a Ferrari one-two with a time four-tenths off his teammate.

Twenty minutes gone, the top-10 is:

Leclerc, Hamilton, Sainz, Russell, Norris, Piastri, Albon, Tsunoda, Hadjar, Doohan

Carlos Sainz fastest by two-tenths!

That Williams is on rails!

Rapid in testing, rapid in FP1... and now rapid in FP2!

The Spaniard looking quick! However, let’s see in qualifying tomorrow...

Lewis Hamilton sixth-fastest

Lewis Hamilton looked quick in the first two sectors of his push lap, but lost time in the final sector!

Among the guests in the Ferrari garage watching Hamilton is singer RAYE, who is performing here at Albert Park this weekend.

Norris is the quickest once again so far...

FP2 underway!

Second practice is underway at Albert Park!

Lando Norris having to go on the grass on the pit-exit to squeeze past the Red Bull of Liam Lawson!

Ollie Bearman's Haas update!

Bearman’s car is still being fixed in the Haas garage!

A new engine, gearbox and rear corners! Not ideal for the 19-year-old on his first full-time day in F1... it remains to be seen whether Bearman will[ feature in FP2!

FP2 5 minutes away!

A fascinating first practice session this morning - what will the second practice bring?

It all gets going in beautiful Melbourne sunshine in five minutes!

Toto Wolff repsonds to Verstappen links

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has claimed Max Verstappen is no longer on his radar and said he is ready to open talks with George Russell over a contract extension.

Wolff attempted to lure Verstappen to Mercedes as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton last year before the four-time world champion elected to stay at Red Bull.

Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli was instead promoted from the team's junior ranks alongside Russell for the new season which starts in Australia on Sunday.

Russell, 27, is entering his fourth season with Mercedes but his current deal is due to expire at the end of the year, leaving room for Wolff to make a play for Verstappen.

However, speaking in Melbourne ahead of Sunday's curtain-raiser, Wolff said: "We need to concentrate on our driver line-up.”

Ollie Bearman: ‘You only get one shot in F1 – my ultimate goal is to be a world champion’

As foolish as it sounds, Ollie Bearman’s manager was actually cut off from the call which changed the life of his most precious client. Fortunately, the British teenager himself was not short of credit on his phone.

Ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last March, Ferrari suddenly needed a driver after Carlos Sainz fell ill. Relaxing idyllically off the shores of the Red Sea fresh from securing pole position in F2, 18-year-old Bearman spotted Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur’s name on his phone and, right then, knew he was about to be given the opportunity of a lifetime.

Kieran Jackson chats exclusively to the British F1 rookie sensation:

F1 star Bearman: ‘You only get one shot – my goal is to be a world champion’

Max Verstappen on the potential of a tight F1 season:

“Impossible to know at the moment.

“We are not the quickest at the moment but it’s a very long season.

“From the start of last year to the end, a lot of things can change quickly in Formula 1?”

FULL FP1 RESULTS:

Lando Norris topped the timesheets in FP1 for McLaren 👏

Here's the final FP1 classification 👇#F1#AusGPpic.twitter.com/4Mqeps5bGu

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 14, 2025

READ MORE: Ollie Bearman sustains heavy crash!

Ollie Bearman escaped unharmed after a heavy crash in practice at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The 19-year-old, making his full-time F1 debut with Haas after three races as a reserve last year, lost control of his car coming out of the high-speed turn 10 section.

His car entered the gravel after a snap of oversteer, before the car spun into the wall with one tyre coming loose from the car.

More below:

Ollie Bearman crashes out of practice on F1 full-time debut at Australian GP

Lando Norris fastest in FP1!

An action-packed session!

Two red flags - one due to debris, one due to that Bearman crash - but at the end of it, Lando Norris goes fastest!

His McLaren set a time of 1:17:252, 0.149 secs quicker than Williams’s Carlos Sainz!

3-10: Leclerc, Piastri, Verstappen, Albon, Russell, Alonso, Hadjar, Stroll

As for Lewis Hamilton? He’s down in P12 and wasn’t overly comfortable in his Ferrari car!

George Russell has a spin out of turn 3!

Hairy moment for the Brit, who drops a wheel onto the grass and spins!

Fortunately, the run-off area saves him and he doesn’t hit the wall!

Lando Norris goes quickest!

Late in the day, Norris goes quickest with a 1:17:252 - 0.149 secs quicker than Sainz!

Lewis Hamilton:

“I’m struggling to turn the car!”

Not what you want to hear...

GREEN FLAG!

A quick clean up job for the marshals and with Bearman’s smashed up car safely removed, we can get going again in FP1!

Just 10 minutes left, and a lot of cars queueing in the pit-lane in an attempt to get one more lap in!

PICTURE: Bearman crash

Ollie Bearman:

Bearman: “I’m OK, I’m sorry.”

Engineer: “No worries Ollie, the car is safe.”

RED FLAG!

Oh no!

Ollie Bearman is in the wall after a big shunt!

Session stopped!

The 19-year-old was going quickly around turn 10 before entering the gravel. His car then spun uncontrollably into the wall! Nightmare for the Brit on his full-time debut!

Carlos Sainz goes P1!

Gasps in the media centre as Sainz goes quickest, 0.060 seconds ahead of Charles Leclerc in second!

Max Verstappen quickest after 30 mins!

As some cars switch from mediums to softs, Max Verstappen goes P1 with arch nemesis George Russell in second, 0.020 seconds behind.

3-10: Leclerc, Sainz, Hadjar, Norris, Hamilton, Piastri, Tsunoda, Gasly

Russell, meanwhile, complains of being “very hot inside the car.”

Session stops!

Back underway in Melbourne after that brief stoppage...

Jack Doohan the guilty party!

Just a little kick up of gravel from the Aussie driver, forcing the red flag!

Shouldn’t be too long to clear up, me thinks..

RED FLAG!

Session stopped!

Loads of gravel on the track at turn 6 and so they’ve stopped the session to get that cleaned up!

Unclear at this moment who went through the gravel trap...

George Russell on team radio:

“Just have a look at the high speeds, particularly out of 9 and 10.”

Liam Lawson touches the wall!

A little clip of the wall for Red Bull’s new driver, though no damage done to the car!

Quite a lot of damage down to the camera on the wall though... completely destroyed!

Lando Norris top of the timesheet early on, 0.064 seconds clear of Charles Leclerc

Only 10 minutes gone though!

FP1 underway!

And we are a go in F1 in 2025!

A Sauber with an aero-rake is the first car out, followed closely by most of the field!

Practice just five minutes away!

Lewis Hamilton is walking around the Ferrari garage fist-pumping all his engineers, ahead of his first official race session with the Scuderia!

All eyes will be on the seven-time world champion this morning in his first practice session!

It’s also a big day for the six full-time rookies on the grid... practice starts in five minutes!

Drive to Survive: The major F1 storylines Netflix missed in season 7

The latest season of Drive to Survive was released on Friday as the popular docu-series tells the story of the 2024 season.

Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari featured prominently, as did the Christian Horner scandal and Max Verstappen’s title win. But what major stories from last year did Netflix miss in season 7?

Drive to Survive: The major F1 storylines Netflix missed in season 7

Australian Grand Prix statistics

Statistics for Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne's Albert Park:

Lap distance: 5.278km. Total distance: 306.124km (58 laps)

2024 pole position: Max Verstappen (Red Bull) one minute 15.915 seconds.

2024 winner: Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

Race lap record: Sergio Perez (Red Bull), 1:20.235 - 2023.

NOTE: The circuit was shortened by 28 metres, with two turns taken out and seven corners modified, in 2022.

Start time: 0400 GMT (1500 local)

Oscar Piastri on potential home win this weekend:

“We’ll see. No one knows what to expect, testing went pretty well and we’re pretty happy with how it went, Melbourne is different to Bahrain.

“Different every hour by the look of things, it’ll be an interesting weekend.

“We’re expecting to be at the front, whether it’s the pointy end we’ll see. “

Jack Doohan on first home race:

“I’m super keen to get on the track, get to tomorrow, it’s been a long time since Abu Dhabi.

“To enjoy each time I’m on track, work hard with the team, deliver on track with whatever the car’s potential so far.”

Lewis Hamilton on expectations in Australia:

“I definitely hope to be top-10! I don’t have expectations, I ultimately want to come away knowing I gave absolutely everything and excelled in every way I can, felt comfortable in the car and one foot in front of the other.

“We won’t know until tomorrow where we truly stand with the top teams, I’m hoping we can compete for top-5 – somewhere in that space.”

Madrid F1 circuit given new name

The new Madrid F1 circuit set to host the Spanish Grand Prix from 2026 to 2035 will be known as Madring, organisers have revealed.

The 5.47km part-street layout will be around the IFEMA exhibition centre with easy access by rail and metro from the city and nearby Barajas airport.

Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya currently hosts the Spanish Grand Prix and has a contract for one more race after this season.

Lewis Hamilton warned over Ferrari honeymoon

Lewis Hamilton has been warned that getting used to how things are done at Ferrari after 11 years with Mercedes may take a little time, even though he has made a promising start to life in Maranello.

Writing in his season preview for Sky Sports, F1 pundit and commentator Martin Brundle gave his thoughts on Hamilton’s switch.

“The Ferrari move does seem to be working for Lewis. I've never seen him smile so much,” wrote Brundle.

“He seems really energised and invigorated by this new opportunity. Lewis has been very smart too. Obviously, he knows team boss Fred Vasseur very well from times of old, but he's had an advance party at Ferrari to integrate as quickly as he can into the team. Angela Cullen has returned, while Marc Hynes has been back in the fold for a year or two now already.

“He's got a new race engineer, Riccardo Adami, and has got to understand how Ferrari works, which will be diametrically opposed to how Mercedes works in terms of culture I suspect, in terms of procedures. Lewis is going to have to find out where all the green buttons are and I expect it will take him a little bit of time to get used to that, along with speaking some Italian.”

Why Lando Norris knows there is ‘no excuses’ now – he has to win 2025 F1 title

Taking the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi at the final race of 2024, bringing home a first constructors’ title in 26 years for McLaren, brought up mixed emotions for cheerful chappy Lando Norris.

On one hand, it was pure elation. A member of the McLaren family for eight years, this meant as much to Norris as anyone else. He described it as a “perfect” end to the season, beating Ferrari to the championship by 14 points. And he’d need no invitation; he was going to get “hammered” later that night over the border in Bahrain.

Yet in the same breath, even amid joyous papaya-clad celebrations on the pit-wall, the boy from Bristol could not help but sample that bittersweet taste. “It’s been a special year,” he said over team radio, before adding: “And next year is going to be my year, too.”

Why Lando Norris knows there are now ‘no excuses’ – he has to win 2025 F1 title

French rookie Isack Hadjar ready for F1 debut

Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar is heading into the season-opening Formula 1 race in Australia with fewer than 500 laps in a Grand Prix car under his belt.

The 20-year-old Hadjar has been dubbed 'Petit Prost' — a young version of former F1 star Alain Prost — by the French media for his successes in F2 last year, when he finished runner-up with four victories. That was two more than champion Gabriel Bortoleto, now with Sauber.

The French driver has had just four practice sessions in F1 and last year's post-season test for Red Bull Racing and the brand's second Grand Prix team, now known as Racing Bulls. He says "it's enough" ahead of his first F1 race weekend.

"Ideally, I would go on different tracks, of course, because now Melbourne in an F1 car is pretty challenging," Hadjar said. "By F1 experience, I've been on really easy tracks — Bahrain and Abu Dhabi mostly. So now on really challenging tracks, it's going to be a fair bit different."

Lando Norris dismisses ‘short-sighted’ F1 teams who have McLaren as clear favourites

Lando Norris believes McLaren’s tag as clear F1 favourites is being exaggerated as the Brit looked to dampen expectations ahead of the new season.

The McLaren driver, who finished runner-up to Max Verstappen last year, is the title favourite with the bookies this year following McLaren’s constructors’ championship victory in 2024.

Yet Norris looked to downplay McLaren’s favourites tag, when asked ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend.

Lando Norris dismisses ‘short-sighted’ F1 teams who have McLaren as clear favourites

Oscar Piastri on his new long-term contract:

“I was already signed up for this year and next but it felt like a natural progression to sign longer term.

“My years at the team have been incredible to when I joined to constructors’ champions.

“It made a lot of sense, myself and Lando are there for a long time now – it seemed like a no-brainer.”

Carlos Sainz on Williams:

“I feel I’ve joined a team full of motivation, who want to bring the team back to the front. It was a good test in Abu Dhabi.

“We’ve had a strong winter, a positive test, are we going to be one second off the leaders? I don’t know. We want to show progress.

Michael Schumacher tribute unveiled by son Mick and Sebastian Vettel: ‘Keep fighting’

A group of prominent Formula 1 figures showed their support for Michael Schumacher at the Race of Champions in Sydney as they urged the seven-time world champion to “keep fighting”.

Mick Schumacher, the German great’s son, and former F1 driver Sebastian Vettel were among those in attendance as a banner was unveiled at the Accor Stadium.

Schumacher suffered a traumatic brain injury in a skiing accident in 2013 and has not since been seen in public, with few updates provided by his family about his health as he rehabilitates privately.

Michael Schumacher tribute unveiled by son Mick and Sebastian Vettel: ‘Keep fighting’

Lewis Hamilton on Ferrari debut this weekend:

“I’m very fortunate, I’ve had a long career in Formula 1. This is very reminiscent of my first year, for all those years I’ve gone up and down the paddock and seen the red garage, now I’m in red.

“The pressure I’ve put on myself has been ten times higher than any pressure put upon me. I haven’t been made to feel any pressure, I know what I can deliver and it’s just getting my head down. No expectations this weekend... just getting used to this new car.

“This is the most exciting period of my life.”

Lewis Hamilton when asked if he's happy with the Ferrari car:

“Yes so far. I feel so. Difficult to know where we stand with everyone else, Carlos was incredibly quick, Kimi too.

“It’s going to be close between us all. I’m itching to get going, it’s been a long time coming, to think this is going to be my first grand prix with the team, very honoured and grateful to get the opportunity.”

Oscar Piastri signs long-term extension with McLaren: ‘It’s a no-brainer’

Oscar Piastri has signed a multi-year deal with McLaren on the eve of the opening race of the new Formula One season.

Piastri, 23, who was already under contract until 2026, has now secured his long-term future with the British team.

The Australian driver finished fourth in the championship last year. He opened his winning account in Hungary before claiming a second victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

With McLaren expected to carry over their constructors’-winning form into the new season, Piastri is set to battle with team-mate Lando Norris for the world title.

Speaking after his contract extension was announced, Piastri, gearing up for his third season on the F1 grid, said: “It’s a great feeling knowing that I’m part of McLaren’s long-term vision.”

Oscar Piastri signs long-term extension with McLaren: ‘It’s a no-brainer’

Oscar Piastri signs long-term extension with McLaren: ‘It’s a no-brainer’

Oscar Piastri has signed a multi-year deal with McLaren on the eve of the opening race of the new Formula One season.

Piastri, 23, who was already under contract until 2026, has now secured his long-term future with the British team.

The Australian driver finished fourth in the championship last year. He opened his winning account in Hungary before claiming a second victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

With McLaren expected to carry over their constructors’-winning form into the new season, Piastri is set to battle with team-mate Lando Norris for the world title.

Speaking after his contract extension was announced, Piastri, gearing up for his third season on the F1 grid, said: “It’s a great feeling knowing that I’m part of McLaren’s long-term vision.”

Zak Brown claims McLaren have ‘best driver line-up’ in F1 after Oscar Piastri deal

Lewis Hamilton warned over Ferrari honeymoon

Lewis Hamilton has been warned that getting used to how things are done at Ferrari after 11 years with Mercedes may take a little time, even though he has made a promising start to life in Maranello.

Writing in his season preview for Sky Sports, F1 pundit and commentator Martin Brundle gave his thoughts on Hamilton’s switch.

“The Ferrari move does seem to be working for Lewis. I've never seen him smile so much,” wrote Brundle.

“He seems really energised and invigorated by this new opportunity. Lewis has been very smart too. Obviously, he knows team boss Fred Vasseur very well from times of old, but he's had an advance party at Ferrari to integrate as quickly as he can into the team. Angela Cullen has returned, while Marc Hynes has been back in the fold for a year or two now already.

“He's got a new race engineer, Riccardo Adami, and has got to understand how Ferrari works, which will be diametrically opposed to how Mercedes works in terms of culture I suspect, in terms of procedures. Lewis is going to have to find out where all the green buttons are and I expect it will take him a little bit of time to get used to that, along with speaking some Italian.”

Lando Norris 'ready to win title', says Mika Hakkinen

McLaren legend Mika Hakkinen has backed current driver Lando Norris, saying the Brit is “absolutely ready” to win the F1 Drivers’ Championship title this year.

The 25-year-old was Max Verstappen’s closest challenger in 2024 but made key mistakes at crucial times as the Red Bull star won a fourth title on the spin.

But former world champion Hakkinen was bullish when asked if Norris is now ready to win the title.

“Absolutely, yes,” Hakkinen told theHindustan Times.“Why? Because I experienced many years of racing without success, but it was part of my development to become a good racing driver.

“You have to maintain your criticism about yourself. That way you keep developing and pushing. That means you are taking risks. Lando experienced all these elements in his career. He’s been taking risks. He’s been critical of himself. He’s been pushing flat out.

“When you’re not world champion, when you’re working towards that goal, it requires a lot of mistakes and stress. I believe Lando is ready. He is flat-out ready to achieve his goal.”

Max Verstappen told 'he doesn't have a chance' of F1 title this year

Max Verstappen does not have “a chance” of a fifth straight F1 Drivers’ Championship win in 2025 according to former driver Ralf Schumacher.

Schumacher believes Verstappen delivered a “rescue” effort in a struggling Red Bull car last year but he won’t be able to do the same again.

McLaren’s Lando Norris is the favourite to win the title this season and Schumacher is adamant Verstappen will be powerless to stop the Brit and others at the front of the grid.

Speaking on the Sky Germany podcast, Schumacher said: “Last year it was clear. Red Bull was very strong at the start of the season, but then they couldn’t handle the car. Verstappen was the rescue.

“However, he will have to get used to everything coming to an end. I don’t think he has a chance.”

Toto Wolff makes shock Max Verstappen F1 revelation after breaking ‘promise’ to Lewis Hamilton

Toto Wolff promised Lewis Hamilton he wouldn’t pursue a move for Max Verstappen while the Brit was at Mercedes, as revealed in the new season of Drive to Survive.

The Mercedes team principal, who worked with Hamilton for 12 years, spent the first half of the 2024 season looking for a replacement for the Ferrari-bound driver.

Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso were among the contenders, with Wolff eventually opting to promote teenage prodigy Kimi Antonelli to partner George Russell this year.

Yet Wolff made no secret of his desire to sign Hamilton’s 2021 foe Verstappen – especially amid unrest at Red Bull at the start of last season – and details as such in season seven of Drive to Survive, released on Friday.

Wolff makes shock Verstappen F1 revelation after breaking ‘promise’ to Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton admits racism in Serie A ‘crossed his mind’ before Ferrari F1 move

Lewis Hamilton has admitted that incidents of black footballers being racially abused in Italy did make him think twice when deciding to move to Ferrari this year.

The seven-time F1 world champion has switched to Ferrari after 12 years and six world titles at Mercedes. His first race in Scuderia red is at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on 16 March.

Hamilton is also F1’s first and only black driver and has detailed in the past the “traumatising” racial abuse he has suffered, detailing in 2023 that he had bananas thrown at him and was repeatedly called the “n-word” at school. He was also racially abused at F1 testing in Barcelona in 2008.

Serie A footballers such as Mike Maignan and Moise Kean have been subject to racial abuse in the past and Hamilton did admit that racist chanting at Italian matches “crossed his mind” when making the decision to move to Ferrari last winter.

Lewis Hamilton admits racism in Serie A ‘crossed his mind’ before Ferrari F1 move

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari F1 are a ‘perfect match’ – but will results live up to the hype?

Nothing has ever motivated Lewis Hamilton more than the naysayers of this world. Where the sceptics see adversity, Hamilton sees opportunity. And last month, the seven-time world champion had a message for the doubters ahead of the most anticipated phase of his glittering Formula One career.

“Don’t ever compare me to anyone else,” he toldTime. “I’m the first and only Black driver that’s ever been in this sport. I’m built different… I’m hungry, driven, don’t have a wife or kids. I’m focused on one thing and that’s winning.”

Has the Hamilton-Ferrari hype train caught you yet? If so, what drew you in? Was it the joyous scenes of week one, appearing in a black suit and Ferrari race gear in Maranello for the first time? Was it London, F1 75 Live, and an adoring British crowd? Or was it Bahrain, Milan, and now Melbourne, as the sight of F1’s joint-most successful driver in peerless scarlet red becomes the new reality?

The Independent’s F1 Correspondent Kieran Jackson is in Melbourne ahead of the Australian GP and has dug into whether Hamilton can live up to the hype:

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari are ‘perfect match’ – but will results match the hype?

Drive to Survive review: Season 7 airs with Christian Horner Red Bull scandal rehashed on Netflix

Let’s start with the obvious: Christian Horner has been a dream for Drive to Survive since the show landed in 2019. The Red Bull F1 CEO has been front-and-centre of countless episodes in the past six seasons, gladly playing the role of F1’s pantomime villain, with numerous scenes filmed at his country mansion home in Oxfordshire, alongside Spice Girl wife Geri Halliwell.

Season seven is no different. The latest instalment, chronicling the 2024 season, begins with Horner at the wheel of his 4x4, locked in conversation with Geri about a record-breaking 2023 campaign, in which Red Bull won 21 out of 22 races.

With an air of inevitability synonymous with Netflix’s exquisitely curated narratives, Geri strikes a warning to her husband: “You never know what life’s going to bring.” In actual fact, we all know what’s coming next.

Horner scandal rehashed as Drive to Survive season 7 unearths new F1 villain

Dream move or nightmare in waiting? Lewis Hamilton on red alert with Ferrari

The eyes of the sporting world will be on Lewis Hamilton when the lights go out for Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Hamilton will fulfil a lifelong ambition by starting his 19th Formula One campaign in the red of Ferrari following a mouth-watering transfer from Mercedes which is set to earn him north of £100m.

However, with change comes extraordinary pressure.

Hamilton is widely considered F1’s G.O.A.T. No driver boasts more victories or pole positions in the sport’s 75-year history, his record tally of seven world championships is one he shares with Michael Schumacher and he transcends the sport. But it is not hyperbole to suggest Hamilton’s legacy is on the line.

Dream move or nightmare in waiting? Lewis Hamilton on red alert with Ferrari

Alpine add a fourth F1 reserve with India's Maini

Alpine have added a fourth test and reserve driver to their roster with the announcement of Indian Kush Maini.

Formula Two driver Maini, 24, joins a list that includes Argentine Franco Colapinto, Estonian Paul Aron and Japan's Ryo Hirakawa.

Alpine now have twice as many reserves as race drivers, with Colapinto already having F1 race experience with Williams and widely seen as a future replacement for Australian rookie Jack Doohan.

The team said Maini would offer support by using the driver-in-loop simulator at the Enstone factory and taking part in the testing of previous cars (TPC) programme.

‘No love lost’ between George Russell and Max Verstappen as last season’s feud rumbles on

The dispute between four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell shows no sign of abating as the new season gets underway.

The pair memorably clashed after the Qatar Grand Prix last season, when Verstappen, the eventual winner, was penalised for impeding the Brit.

Russell claimed that afterwards Verstappen threatened to "purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and 'put me on my head in the wall'", while his Dutch counterpart said he had “lost all respect” for the Mercedes driver.

‘No love lost’ between Russell and Verstappen as feud rumbles on

Max Verstappen told 'he doesn't have a chance' of F1 title this year

Max Verstappen does not have “a chance” of a fifth straight F1 Drivers’ Championship win in 2025, according to former driver Ralf Schumacher.

Schumacher believes Verstappen delivered a “rescue” effort in a struggling Red Bull car last year but he won’t be able to do the same again.

McLaren’s Lando Norris is the favourite to win the title this season and Schumacher is adamant Verstappen will be powerless to stop the Brit and others at the front of the grid.

Speaking on the Sky Germany podcast, Schumacher said: “Last year it was clear. Red Bull was very strong at the start of the season, but then they couldn’t handle the car. Verstappen was the rescue.

“However, he will have to get used to everything coming to an end. I don’t think he has a chance.”