Oscar Piastri topped ultimate follow for McLaren on the Australian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton was solely eighth forward of his Ferrari qualifying debut.
The highest groups appeared intently matched within the ultimate 60 minutes of follow on the opening spherical of the Method 1 season, but it surely was Piastri, looking for to win his house race for the primary time, who topped the timesheet with a 1:15.921.
That put the Australian simply 0.039s away from Mercedes’ George Russell, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen additionally inside a tenth of a second of the main time for Crimson Bull.
Piastri’s team-mate Lando Norris additionally possessed robust tempo however was solely tenth after bailing out within the ultimate sector of a lap that seemed set to place him at the least within the high three.
Ferrari had appeared on Friday to be McLaren’s almost definitely challengers however have been out of kinds as Friday’s pace-setter Leclerc may solely handle fourth, ending 0.267s again from Piastri as he complained of an excessive amount of oversteer.
Oscar Piastri was quickest for McLaren in ultimate follow
Hamilton was much less vocal over workforce radio however appeared to expertise related struggles as he blew a ultimate qualifying simulation within the closing moments of the session with an error within the first sector, leaving the seven-time world champion nearly half a second off the tempo in eighth.
Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli – Hamilton’s alternative at Mercedes following his blockbuster transfer to Ferrari – produced a stable displaying to assert fifth.
Williams cemented their standing because the midfield squad almost definitely to problem the established high 4 groups in qualifying as Carlos Sainz edged out team-mate Alex Albon for sixth.
Whereas Verstappen, who’s chasing a fifth successive drivers’ title, confirmed vital enchancment having struggled on Friday, his new team-mate Liam Lawson was on monitor for simply two laps earlier than an influence unit situation ended his session early.
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Craig Slater rounds-up the perfect of the motion you could have missed from Friday’s follow on the Australian Grand Prix.
British rookie Oliver Bearman continued a nightmare begin to his first full season in F1 as a second accident in as many days left him massively underneath ready for qualifying.
Bearman, who missed all of second follow on Friday after damaging his automobile with a giant crash within the opening session, this time spun his Haas right into a gravel lure after dipping a wheel onto the grass on his strategy to Flip 11.
Whereas the automobile appeared to keep away from any main harm from the incident and must be prepared for qualifying, Bearman has been in a position to take part in simply 40 minutes of the three hours of follow.
Sky Sports activities F1’s stay Australian GP schedule
Saturday March 15
- 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 Method 1 season stay on Sky Sports activities F1, beginning with the Australian GP on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime
