Australian GP: Lando Norris, Max Verstappen expresses concern after running in Melbourne on Friday | F1 news
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen expressed concern about performing their car after running on Australia’s Grand Prix on Friday.
Norris was at the top of the first practice of 2025 and was third, behind Charles Leclerac and Oscar Piastra, in a more representative second practice.
McLaren found Ferrari at last year’s Central Championships, and two teams seem to be running a key order in Saturday’s qualifying at 5am, Live on Sky Sports F1.
Norris and Piastra were within two dozen Leclerc reference time in another practice, but the British driver was not completely satisfied.
“It was a good start to the weekend. We have good basic value, but we are certainly not happy, as if they are not sure about the car in terms of finding the best balance and consistent enough, especially on low fuel,” he said.
“High fuel, I felt good. Only low fuel was still similar to Bahrein, too much inconsistency, too much problem, so there were few fights.”
McLaren’s strong long -term pace was also obvious during the preseason testing in Bahrein, where Norris raised eyebrows with excellent race simulation.
Norris’s teammate Piastra is entering his third season of F1 and will seek history by becoming the first Australian to win their Grand Prix since he became the World Cup event.
“The basic pace of the car seems strong, but Ferrari looks fast, Mercedes and on points. Things look good, but we don’t just want a podium, we want to target the top step,” Piastra said.
“A few more things to iron to make the car feel a little nicer, but the fundamental pace was strong.
“I am satisfied with the work of the day. I think the conditions will be different in the next two days, so as far as I don’t know today – but it feels good.”
Verstappen: Red Bull Performance might be a little difficult to fix
The Red Bull is on the back leg because Verstappen was 0.624 behind Leclerca in seventh place and visibly fought with insidious.
From mid -last year, Red Bull was overhaul of their rivals and seemingly did not improve enough during the winter.
Verstappen, who won the titles of the last four drivers, says Red Bull “definitely lacks a little bit to fight in the front.”
“The balance was not completely, as if there were no huge or main problems, but somehow it was not revived and only fought on all four tires, really, in the sector and the last sector,” he said.
“That, of course, means we’re not up there right now.”
Asked if the problems are easy to solve, Verstappen said: “The problem is that it’s not like I have big problems with balance, so I think it will be a little difficult to repair.
“But also is nothing that I didn’t expect when I got here, so I’m not positive or negatively surprised by the pace that we show.”
Liam Lawson fought even more at his full Bull debut because he finished 16th and 17th in two training sessions on Friday.
“I’m comfortable, but just too slow. We have a lot of work to do overnight,” he said.
“The first day on the new track we expected to have a job, but probably not so much. We’ll work on it overnight and try to improve tomorrow.”
The New Zealander has a difficult challenge that Verstappen’s teammate, after the Dutchman comfortably defeated Pierre Gasly, Alex Albona and Sergia Perez in the last six seasons in Red Bull.
Lawson, who started only 11 Grands Prix, could fight to get out of Q1 if the practice was going to go.
“I think if we knew we would know and repair it,” Lawson said about whether Red Bull could solve his questions.
“Generally, only accepted, when we need to use it on this short -term state, but then in general our long -term pace was slow. We will obviously work on it.”
Russell: day up and down for Mercedes
George Russell led the Mercedes charges on Friday, but he was only 10 in the second training session and the Rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli in 16th place.
At one point, Russell went the fastest to the hard tires at the beginning of the session, but Mercedes fought on Softs.
“It was really up and down, because every time we had a medium or a hard tire, we were in the first two of the time leaves and every circle felt good. Then we put soft and we didn’t go faster,” he said.
“It is so clear that there is a little tempo in the car and it is just the maximum tire to get the tires, so we have to understand why it is. Let’s see what we can achieve overnight.”
Sky Sports F1 -ov Australian GP -ASA LIVE
Saturday, March 15th
- 12.10am: F3 Sprint*
- 1.10 hours: Australian Practice GP Three (session begins at 1:30 pm)*
- 3.10 hours: F2 Sprint*
- 4.15: 00: Australian GP qualifying buildup*
- 5:00: Australian qualifying GP -A*
- 7:00: TED -O’s qualifying notebook*
- 7.30: 00: Australian reprise GP for qualification* (9:00 on Sky Showcase)
- 21.55: F3 Race features*
Sunday 16th March
- 12.25: 00: F2 Race features*
- 2.30 hours: Australian GP Building-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
- 4:00: Australian Grand Prix*
- 6:00: Australian reaction GP -a: Plated flag*
- 7:00: Ted’s notebook*
- 7.55pm: Australian reproduction of GP race
- 10:00: Australian GP prominent (also on Sky Showcase)
- 7:00 pm: Villeneuve Pironi – Racing’s Compled Tragedy
*Also at the main event Sky Sports
Check out all 24 racing weekends from the Formula 1 2025 Live Season Sky Sports F1Starting with the Australian GP this weekend. Stream Sky Sports with now – No Treaty, cancel anytime
