Norris Tops Practice as Australian GP Begins with Crashes and Drama

MELBOURNE, Australia — Lando Norris of McLaren stole the spotlight in the opening practice session of the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix on March 14, 2025, clocking in a fastest lap of 1:17.252 amid two red flag interruptions.

The 60-minute session was marked by an early surge from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who set the initial benchmark at 1:17.880 seconds. However, after the interruption due to track debris and a significant crash involving Haas rookie Oliver Bearman, Norris surged ahead in the closing minutes.

“The car felt good, and we managed to push it to the limit,” Norris said after the practice. “It’s a good start to the season, but we have a lot more to do.”

Norris’ ascent to the top of the timesheets came as he eclipsed Carlos Sainz of Williams, who finished second at 0.149s behind, and Leclerc, who rounded out the top three.

The session opened with excitement but soon faced challenges. Both Red Bull drivers experienced issues early on, with Max Verstappen narrowly avoiding a serious incident by lightly tapping the wall at Turn 9 and struggling to find pace throughout the session, ultimately finishing fifth.

“I was happy with the balance of the car, but we need to improve our performance,” Verstappen noted. “It’s only practice, but I expected to be a bit faster.”

Halfway through the session, the first red flag was triggered when debris from Bearman’s car littered the track following an incident where he crashed heavily after losing control at Turn 10. “I tried to save it, but I ended up hitting the wall,” Bearman said. “It’s unfortunate, but I’m just glad I walked away unharmed.”

The incident halted practice for 12 minutes as teams worked to clear the wreckage, forcing a stop in action just as drivers were beginning to find their rhythm.

As the session resumed, Norris was quick to capitalize on fresh tires. Piastri, another McLaren driver and local favorite, managed to place fourth, just ahead of notable competitors like Fernando Alonso in eighth and Isack Hadjar in ninth, who impressed in his first outing with Racing Bulls.

Lewis Hamilton made headlines with his move to Ferrari, finishing 12th in a challenging debut session. Hamilton reported issues with understeering his car, stating, “I’m still getting used to it, but there’s certainly potential.”

The session’s unpredictable nature was marked by other incidents, including George Russell‘s spin late in the run, forcing him to navigate tricky conditions as drivers jockeyed for position on the slow-burning track.

Despite the caution flags, the overall performance of McLaren stood out, as both Norris and Piastri showcased the team’s strength heading into qualifying sessions. Norris concluded the session with optimism, “We’ve made good progress, but we expect the competition to be fierce this weekend.”

As the teams prepare for the next round of practice later today, all eyes will be on how they adapt and improve from this session’s lessons, putting strategies in place for the race itself on March 16.