McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have clinched the front row for the 2025 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, leaving them baffled by Ferrari’s subpar performance in the qualifying rounds. The Ferrari duo, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, merely managed seventh and eighth positions on Melbourne’s street circuit, contrary to their competitive display during practice sessions.
Leclerc, impressively topping the FP2 timing sheets, carried the same momentum into the qualifying rounds, securing an initial third spot, marginally behind Max Verstappen. However, the qualifying session ended with the Ferrari drivers on the fourth row, while their rivals dominated the top spots.
Ahead of the weekend, Norris had predicted Ferrari’s commendable speed, even pegging them as the dark horses for the Australian GP. But the unexpected turn of events during the qualifying session left the British driver questioning the reasons behind Ferrari’s underperformance. Speaking to Motorsport Week, Norris expressed, “I mean, I expected more. They’ve been just as quick as us all weekend, we came into qualifying expecting a fight with Ferrari.”
Norris further noted the close margins in 2025, emphasizing the critical role of a driver’s courage and commitment in the final lap. Even a tenth of a second can potentially alter three or four positions, he pointed out.
Following the disappointing qualifying rounds, Leclerc asserted that despite the setbacks, the car still retains a lot of potential. Norris, in response, highlighted how hasty judgments based on the timesheets can often be misleading about the car’s actual performance.
Echoing similar sentiments, McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella spoke to Sky Sports F1, refusing to accept Ferrari’s performance at face value. He believes the gap in Q3 is not a true representation of Ferrari’s capabilities.
Local favorite Oscar Piastri, too, expressed his surprise at Ferrari’s lackluster performance. He admitted that going into the qualifying, Ferrari was expected to be McLaren’s biggest challenge. He further cautioned that despite McLaren’s current superiority, the dynamics are likely to shift over the next few races.
Hence, despite the surprising results of the qualifying rounds, the drivers and team principals maintain an air of optimism and suspense, expecting Ferrari to bounce back stronger and more competitive throughout the year. This unpredictable nature of F1 racing keeps fans and competitors on their toes, as the true pace of the cars and drivers will only unravel over the course of the season.