However, Piastri is not the only driver to watch as qualifying begins. Mercedes driver George Russell was just 0.039 seconds off Piastri’s pace, and Max Verstappen was just 0.081 seconds behind in third.

Lando Norris took pole position for McLaren at Formula One's season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Saturday.

MELBOURNE - McLaren's Lando Norris kept his cool on a sweltering afternoon at Albert Park to take pole position at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Saturday as his teammate Oscar Piastri joined him on the front row.

Get ready for the Australian Grand Prix with a guide that tells you everything you need to know about how to watch the year’s first Formula 1 race, the schedule and more.

The 24-race, 2025 Formula One season begins with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend. McLaren and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen start their respective defences of the constructors’ and drivers’ championships, with two free-practice sessions today ahead of qualifying tomorrow. Today: FP1 (9:30pm ET), FP2 (1am ET).

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Excitement is building for this season with at least four of the ten teams in serious contention for the Championship. The post F1 Australian Grand Prix 2025 preview: season-opener will reveal team strengths appeared first on The Manual.

After three impressive races during the 2024 in a reserve rule for both Ferrari and Haas, Oliver Bearman earned a full-time seat at Haas for the 2025 Formula 1 season. But that rookie campaign for Bearman has gotten off to a very difficult start.

Haas driver Oliver Bearman triggered a second red flag in two days at the Australian Grand Prix as he spun off the Albert Park circuit just three minutes into the final free-practice session on Saturday.