The speculation over which team is quickest at the start of 2025 is now finished as Formula One finally ran its first competitive on track session with qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix. As most F1 analysts predicted McLaren were the class of the field claiming a 1-2 grid start with Lando Norris on pole just 0.084s ahead of his Australian team mate.
Yet after the first runs in qualifying three, Piastri and Norris had it all to do with Max Verstappen ominously leading the way. Yet the McLaren pair who ran early for their final push lap in the session, corrected their errors from the first runs and stormed to the head of the field where they remained as the chequered flag fell to end the session.
Verstappen made an error at turn 11 losing a couple of tenths which would have put him in the McLaren mix, and given his new team mate couldn’t even make it out of the first qualifying session, his value to Red Bull was once again front and centre.
McLaren boss says Melbourne circuit doesn’t suit them
McLaren team boss Andreas Stella appeared almost surprised at the result from qualifying in Melbourne, claiming the Albert Park circuit was not one they felt best suited the characteristics of their MCL39.
“Its only Saturday,” Stella reminded Ted Kravitz when interviewed in the pit lane. He went on to suggest most teams were waiting to see how the tyres performed over long runs in the Grand Prix with fuel tanks brimmed to the full.
“I think we haven’t seen necessarily enough to say that we have improved the interaction with the tyres in terms, for instance, of temperature control, because we have been only in Bahrain, and here we’ve only done qualifying,” Stella observed.
The McLaren boss appeared reasonably confident about McLaren’s tyre data when the weather conditions are dry, but with rain forecast for most of tomorrow the wet and intermediate tyres may be more of a mystery to the papaya liveried team. “But so far, let’s say that, the data we have acquired and also the behaviour of the car seems to prove that some focus that we have put in this area, may be paying off. In terms of, this characteristic of the car in wet conditions, effectively, we will have to see again.”
Hamilton driving style an issue in Melbourne
Stella admits wet weather running a mystery
Yet Stella is quietly confident that the 2025 McLaren should run as well in the wet as in the dry, but admitted there would be various conversations being had this evening which will scenario plan between the engineers and the drivers to finalise a flexi race plan.
“We need to adjust. We need to clarify, taking into account that the scenario or the various scenarios with which may face will have, extra variables to what we might have discussed so far, which was predominantly for dry conditions. So conversations, will definitely happen, and we will see based on the points that are raised, how we can wrap all this up and be ready to go racing,” Stella explained.
Of course should the weather forecast be correct, there is danger lurking for the McLaren pair in the form of Max Verstappen who lines up third to start the race. Last time out in Brazil, a disgruntled Max who was penalised during qualifying started the Grand Prix in P17 and drove the race of the century finishing a country mile ahead of the rest of the field.
When asked about the wet prospects for tomorrow and the exceptional driving of the world champion in low grip conditions, Andreas Stella was complimentary of the Red Bull driver’s “mega” driving skills.
‘Verstappen is mega’
“You make a comment about, Max. For me, the only thing I can say about Max in wet condition is that he’s mega. So, I think he has shown what quality he can express when the preconditions are prohibitive, like in the wet. So we know that despite today, we had a good result. In wet conditions, Max can be a significant threat.”
Stella concluded by promising his drivers the team would give them the best cars possible for the challenge tomorrow. “When we were in Brazil, we had a couple of things on the car that made it a bit more difficult than ideal to drive, and this ended up for Oscar and Lando, causing some little underperformance here and there. So we learned something from that experience, and hopefully, for tomorrow, we will capitalise,” Stella concluded.
With McLaren again 1-2 on the starting grid, the topic of “papaya rules” oncer again raised its head. In Monza last year, Norris took pole but was challenged into the chicane by his team mate and the result of the McLaren pair fighting, allowed Charles Leclerc to take the lead and the race win.
Norris explains team orders
Lando Norris confirmed that there will be more of these on track battles over the course of the coming season but that there are “…clearly rules, I answered this the other day, but there’s there are clearly rules we cannot cross. Both cars will always have to stay in the race and that kind of thing”
Of course with McLaren favourites to take the championships this season, Norris and Piastri are not just team mates but rivals for their first world championships. “We are both competitors. That’s clear. We both want to fight for a win and fight for victories, that’s clear. But there’s just boundaries around the car,” said Norris implying that he and Piastri have been told to give each other space.
The letter of the law as exposed by Max Verstappen in Austin Texas last year, is that the driver who claims the apex of the corner has the right to use the full width of the track on exit, even if this runs another driver outside the white lines. Clearly the McLaren pair will not be allowed to deploy this tactic against each other.
Marko Rages against rule change
How Norris beat Piastri
McLaren secured a dominant front row lockout in qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, with Lando Norris taking pole ahead of home hero Oscar Piastri. While the result suggested superiority, the session was far from easy for the Papaya team. Both drivers had to perform under pressure, pushing their MCL39s to the limit in order to get the crucial lap times. Their performance showcased McLaren’s raw speed but also highlighted the car’s delicate balance at the absolute limit.
Going into the weekend of the Australian Grand Prix, McLaren were favourites for pole position, but had to perform under immense pressure. Norris finally delivered with a blistering 1:15.096 lap to take the first pole of the 2025 season, with Piastri just 0.084 seconds behind.
Their rivals were left in the dust. Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, was third, almost four-tenths off the pace. It was an uncharacteristic gap for the Red Bull driver, who has been dominant in recent seasons… READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
