Australian GP: Lando Norris units tempo as Oliver Bearman suffers large crash in first Melbourne follow | F1 Information

Lando Norris topped the primary follow session of the 2025 Components 1 season on the Australian Grand Prix as British rookie Oliver Bearman suffered an enormous crash.

Norris had on Thursday performed down his and McLaren’s standing as pre-season favourites, however flashed among the efficiency that many count on to offer the Brit a superb alternative to say his maiden F1 title.

He set a time of 1:17.252s for the reigning constructors’ champions within the closing moments of the session to complete 0.149s away from Carlos Sainz, who impressed for Williams following his transfer from Ferrari.

Lewis Hamilton was solely twelfth in his first race weekend session for Ferrari, ending six tenths of a second behind his team-mate Charles Leclerc, who was third.

The seven-time world champion, whose first follow look for Ferrari was the centre of consideration following his transfer from Mercedes, mentioned over crew radio that he was “struggling” to show the SF-25.

Oscar Piastri was 4 tenths off his McLaren team-mate Norris in fourth, whereas Max Verstappen was marginally additional again in fifth for Purple Bull as he started his quest for a fifth successive drivers’ title.

Alex Albon backed up Sainz’s pace by taking sixth for Williams, whereas George Russell completed seventh for Mercedes, surviving a late scare as he spun after driving onto the grass at Flip 4 and managed to cease his automotive simply wanting the boundaries.

Bearman, who’s driving in his first full marketing campaign having made three race appearances final season, brought on the second of two purple flags in the course of the session as he ran onto the gravel on the exit of Flip 10 after which slammed into the barrier having did not regain management of his Haas because it emerged from the entice.

Sky Sports activities F1’s Martin Brundle mentioned: “He simply missed the apex, ran vast. I believe he did not recognise that early sufficient, was in all probability a bit too gung-ho and thought he would rescue that one.

“It was a little bit bit over-confident, and it’ll have knocked a few of that confidence.”

That interruption, together with an earlier delay to permit gravel to be faraway from the monitor the place it had been kicked up by automobiles working off line at Flip 6, meant virtually a 3rd of the hour-long session was misplaced.

Liam Lawson, who’s beginning his first full marketing campaign alongside Verstappen at Purple Bull having beforehand featured in 11 races for junior squad Racing Bulls during the last two years, survived an early scare of his personal after kissing the wall at Flip 9 earlier than finally ending sixteenth.

Isack Hadjar completed highest of the six rookies, taking ninth for Racing Bulls. Alpine’s Jack Doohan, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto have been thirteenth, 14th and fifteenth, respectively.

Sky Sports activities F1’s stay Australian GP schedule

Friday March 14

• 2.55am: F3 Qualifying*
• 3.40am: Staff Principals’ Press Convention
• 4.45am: Australian GP Observe Two (session begins at 5am)*
• 6.25am: F2 Qualifying*
• 7.15am: The F1 Present*

Saturday March 15

• 12.10am: F3 Dash*
• 1.10am: Australian GP Observe Three (session begins at 1.30am)*
• 3.10am: F2 Dash*
• 4.15am: Australian GP Qualifying build-up*
• 5am: AUSTRALIAN GP QUALIFYING*
• 7am: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book*
• 7.30am: Australian GP Qualifying Replay* (9am on Sky Showcase)
• 9.55pm: F3 Characteristic Race*

Sunday March 16

• 12.25am: F2 Characteristic Race*
• 2.30am: Australian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
• 4am: THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX*
• 6am: Australian GP response: Chequered Flag*
• 7am: Ted’s Pocket book*
• 7.55am: Australian GP race replay
• 10am: Australian GP highlights (additionally on Sky Showcase)
• 7pm: Villeneuve Pironi – Racing’s Untold Tragedy

*Additionally on Sky Sports activities Foremost Occasion

Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Components 1 season stay on Sky Sports activities F1, beginning with the Australian GP this weekend. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime