Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Australian GP: Verstappen trails Racing Bulls as Leclerc pips McLaren in FP2.
Charles Leclerc beat the McLaren drivers to P1 in Friday’s second practice for the Australian Grand Prix in an intriguing session that saw Racing Bulls the faster of the Red Bull outfits.
14 Mar 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

While Leclerc once again won the Ferrari battle and Oscar Piastri edged ahead of Lando Norris, it was Yuki Tsunoda who was the fastest of the Red Bull quartet, with Isack Hadjar also ahead of Max Verstappen.

‘Racing Bulls the faster of the Red Bull outfits’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/austra...025-fp2-report


F1 2025 Australian Grand Prix – FP2 Results
14 Mar 2025
Motorsport Week

1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:16.439
2 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:16.563 0.124
3 Lando Norris McLaren 1:16.580 0.141
4 Yuki Tsunoda Racing Bulls 1:16.784 0.345
5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:16.859 0.420
6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls 1:17.019 0.580
7 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:17.063 0.624
8 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber 1:17.161 0.722
9 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:17.279 0.840
10 George Russell Mercedes 1:17.282 0.843

‘FP2 Results’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...x-fp2-results/


Australian GP: Norris tops red-flagged FP1 as Bearman crashes
14/03/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

McLaren’s Lando Norris topped the timesheet at Albert Park in a disrupted opening practice for the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix. The session at Albert Park was marred by two red flag interruptions, but Norris clinched the top spot with a late effort of 1m17.252s, edging out Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

The first red flag came after debris was spotted on the track, likely from Jack Doohan’s Alpine, which had dragged gravel onto the racing line at the newly reprofiled Turn 6. Once cleared, Verstappen took advantage of the soft tires to momentarily set the fastest lap at 1m17.696s.

Just as the frontrunners started to gain momentum on fresh soft tires, the session was interrupted by a heavy crash involving Oliver Bearman at Turn 10. The Briton lost control, slamming the right side of his car into the barriers before debris scattered across the track. The session remained paused for several minutes before resuming with just 11 minutes to go.

‘Red-flagged FP1’;

https://f1i.com/news/532522-australi...n-crashes.html


Australian GP: Free Practice 1 Results
Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Formula 1 Australian GP from Albert Park.
14 March 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Diff Best
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 21 1:17.252s
2 55 Carlos Sainz Williams – Mercedes 25 0.149s 1:17.401s
3 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 21 0.209s 1:17.461s
4 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 20 0.418s 1:17.670s
5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda 21 0.444s 1:17.696s
6 23 Alex Albon Williams – Mercedes 18 0.461s 1:17.713s
7 63 George Russell Mercedes 26 0.464s 1:17.716s
8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin – Mercedes 23 0.484s 1:17.736s
9 6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls – Honda 25 0.595s 1:17.847s
10 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin – Mercedes 20 0.805s 1:18.057s

‘Free Practice 1 Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-m...1-fp1-results/


Leclerc asserts early dominance over Hamilton in blistering Australian GP practice
FP2 provided an early window into how the teams are stacking up going into the first true test of qualifying on Saturday.
14 Mar 2025
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Charles Leclerc offered a glimpse into his potential early dominance over new Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton following the second practice session for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Leclerc left his lower-fuel, soft-tyre run late in the window set aside for such running in the hour-long session, knocking McLaren's Oscar Piastri off the top spot by 0.124s.

Leclerc finished 0.420s ahead of seven-time F1 champion Hamilton, who had to settle for fifth quickest, and with a clear indicator the car at his disposal has so much more to offer. Lando Norris, who was quickest in FP1, was third on the timesheet, 0.141s behind Leclerc and 0.117s down on local lad Piastri.

‘Leclerc asserts early dominance over Hamilton’;

https://racingnews365.com/leclerc-as...an-gp-practice


Martin Brundle spots ‘massive’ Max Verstappen issue watching Red Bull trackside at Australian Grand Prix
14 Mar 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen and Red Bull struggled on the opening day of the Formula 1 season at the Australian Grand Prix. Verstappen begun the defence of his title after winning the last four in succession. The Dutchman was only seventh fastest in FP2, more than six-tenths of a second off the pace set by Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc. Somewhat damningly, Verstappen was also slower than Racing Bulls duo Yuki Tsunoda (fourth) and Isack Hadjar (sixth).

Martin Brundle notices Max Verstappen grappling with oversteer at Australian Grand Prix. At the start of FP2, Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle watched the drivers circulate from a vantage point at turn one. He said the car that looked the most unstable was Verstappen’s Red Bull. The Dutchman had to correct a ‘massive’ slide when pushing through the high-speed chicane. There was an improvement when he next arrived, but the RB21 was still ‘loose’.

‘Martin Brundle spots ‘massive’ Max Verstappen issue’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...an-grand-prix/


Marko’s concerning Aus GP verdict after ‘not promising’ Red Bull step
14 Mar 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

“The first practice was better,” Marko admitted to Sky Germany. “What we made in terms of changes was not promising.”

As a result, Marko believes the “maximum” Red Bull can now hope to achieve is a “second row” start at Albert Park and a podium and, with the RB21 moving “between understeer and oversteer”, Marko pointed out “of course that also goes on the tyres during the long run”, far from ideal in a race situation.

“It seems that McLaren is the strongest team, and then it gets tight between Ferrari, Mercedes and us,” Marko added.

'Marko’s concerning Aus GP verdict';

https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/F1.../Australian+GP

[Fortitude]

Australian Grand Prix: Post Qualifying press conference.
Congratulations, Lando. A great lap. Just how good was that final lap in Q3?
LN: Good enough, I guess. Tricky because of my first lap and going off track. And just with how tight it's been, especially with Oscar.
15/03/2025
Pitpass

Max, congratulations, it's P3 this time around. Big turnaround. How are you feeling with that performance?
Max Verstappen: No, it was good. Yesterday was quite tough. So for us to be in P3 today, I take that. The quali laps were very exciting. A lot of good grip around here and some fast corners, so that's always fun in an F1 car.

Oscar, massive congratulations. It's a front-row start and an all-McLaren front. How are you feeling having done that at home for the first time?
Oscar Piastri: Yeah, pretty happy. It's obviously great to start the year on the front row - probably one position further back than I would have liked, but I think it's a great start for the year and great to have the team on the front row. So now we reset and see what tomorrow has in store.

We saw that the conditions out there were tricky, drivers going off the track, going over kerbs. How hard was it to put it all together with the margins being so fine?
LN: Very. I mean, the team have done such a good job, the car is extremely quick. And when you put it together, it's unbelievable. It's just difficult to put it together. So really it was like a little fight between me and Oscar today, and it was a tough one. Especially after my first lap, where I went off and got track limits, then I knew the second lap...

‘Press conference’;

https://www.pitpass.com/79637/Austra...oogle_vignette


Australian GP: Qualifying Results
Full results from Qualifying for the Formula 1 Australian GP from Albert Park.
15 Mar 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Diff Q1 Q2 Q3
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 20 1:15.912s 1:15.415s 1:15.096s
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 18 0.084s 1:16.062s 1:15.468s 1:15.180s
3 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda 17 0.385s 1:16.018s 1:15.565s 1:15.481s
4 63 George Russell Mercedes 21 0.450s 1:15.971s 1:15.798s 1:15.546s
5 22 Yuki Tsunoda Racing Bulls – Honda 18 0.574s 1:16.225s 1:16.009s 1:15.670s
6 23 Alex Albon Williams – Mercedes 21 0.641s 1:16.245s 1:16.017s 1:15.737s
7 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 20 0.659s 1:16.029s 1:15.827s 1:15.755s
8 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 23 0.877s 1:16.213s 1:15.919s 1:15.973s
9 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine – Renault 21 0.884s 1:16.328s 1:16.112s 1:15.980s
10 55 Carlos Sainz Williams – Mercedes 21 0.966s 1:16.360s 1:15.931s

‘Qualifying Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-m...quali-results/


F1 2025 Australian Grand Prix – FP3 Results
15/03/2025
Motorsport Week

Position Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:15.921 16
2 George Russell Mercedes 1.15.960 0.039 16
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull 1:16.002 0.081 18
4 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:16.188 0.267 21
5 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:16.206 0.285 19
6 Carlos Sainz Williams 1:16.252 0.331 22
7 Alex Albon Williams 1:16.258 0.337 21
8 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:16.378 0.457 21
9 Yuki Tsunoda Racing Bulls 1:16.455 0.534 17
10 Lando Norris McLaren 1:16.597 0.676 19

‘FP3 Results’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...x-fp3-results/


Winners and losers from the 2025 Australian Grand Prix qualifying
15 Mar 2025
Sam Cooper
PlanetF1.com

Winner: McLaren Loser: Ferrari
Winner: Yuki Tsunoda Loser: Liam Lawson

Winner: Williams Loser: Haas
Winner: Jack Doohan Loser: Aston Martin

‘Winners and losers’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/wi...rix-qualifying


David Croft questions how F1 broadcast team treated ‘sensational’ Yuki Tsunoda at Australian Grand Prix
15 Mar 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda was arguably the star of qualifying at the Australian Grand Prix. He qualified fifth in one of the best Saturday showings of his career. Tsunoda couldn’t match his third place at a sodden Sao Paulo last November, but P5 is his highest-ever grid slot in Australia. He’s joined on the third row by the equally impressive Alex Albon at Williams.

The Japanese driver notably out-paced the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. He was just over a tenth behind Mercedes driver George Russell. Tsunoda appears to have responded well to Red Bull’s latest snub. Liam Lawson got the seat next to Max Verstappen despite only having 11 races of experience.

Sky Sports commentator David Croft called Tsunoda’s lap ‘sensational’, but he was baffled that F1’s broadcast team didn’t show him until he crossed the line at the end of Q3. It was clear that he was on for a big lap from the times he posted in sectors one and two. “That’s sensational from Yuki Tsunoda!” Croft said. “I don’t know why we weren’t watching that. His timing for the first and second sector put him right on the cusp of that top-five appearance. That is Yuki Tsunoda’s best-ever qualifying in Albert Park.”

“That’s sensational from Yuki Tsunoda!”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dav...an-grand-prix/


Tsunoda hails 'magic lap' as he takes stunning P5 in Australian Grand Prix Qualifying
15 Mar 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Yuki Tsunoda has described his stunning Qualifying effort at the Australian Grand Prix as a “magic lap”. While his time was 0.574s off the pole lap of Lando Norris, the Japanese driver was just 0.189s shy of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull in third. “I can say definitely, it was a magic lap,” said Tsunoda. “I think I was able to put it together as well, the quality of lap was the best of the previous runs of the week so far.”

“Also, I got a bit of help from Lando into Turn 9, a bit of a tow, so combined with everything, that laptime came a bit out of nowhere. I’m very happy but also, I think just the car pace so far throughout the week was consistently good, so that gave me extra confidence into Qualifying and this happened.”

“Huge credit to the team. They’ve worked very hard throughout the off-season and I’m happy now.” Alongside rookie team mate Isack Hadjar, who qualified 11th, the two Racing Bulls drivers had been consistently in or around the top 10 positions across the three free practice sessions.

‘Magic lap';

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...o0hBHgJTOK2ZU7


Lewis Hamilton left searching for answers after Ferrari Australian GP Qualifying struggles
Seven-time world champion admits gap to pole was “unexpected” as he continues to adapt to life at Ferrari
15 Mar 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Lewis Hamilton indicated he is still getting to grips with life at Ferrari, after qualifying eighth for the 2025 Australian GP, a performance that left him nearly nine-tenths off Lando Norris’ pole time for McLaren, as the Scuderia’s struggles to keep up were apparent.

“I had a really good time out there today. Everything’s been a first this weekend. My first P1 with Ferrari, my first practice sessions and first qualifying – and it’s been a lot of work to really adapt to this car,” Hamilton said when speaking to Sky Sports F1 about his Australian GP Qualifying struggles. “It’s so much different here to what I’ve experienced in the past, but it’s been interesting.”

While Hamilton acknowledged progress had been made over the weekend, he admitted that he hadn’t anticipated being so far off pole position: “I definitely didn’t expect us to be… I didn’t know that I would be nine tenths off or eight tenths off today, but there is a lot to dissect, for sure.”

‘Searching for answers’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ing-struggles/

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris seizes stunning Australian GP victory after weather chaos and crashes.
McLaren’s Lando Norris triumphed in a dramatic and rain-soaked Australian Grand Prix, overcoming late-race chaos, sudden downpours, and relentless pressure from Max Verstappen.
16 Mar 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

A late Safety Car period, triggered by separate crashes for Gabriel Bortoleto (Kick Sauber) and Liam Lawson (Red Bull), set up a nail-biting finish. With Verstappen closing fast in the final laps and DRS within reach, Norris showed incredible composure to hold on for victory — a defining moment in his career.

“After the final Safety Car, I knew Max would be right there, but I just focused on keeping it clean and hitting my marks. It was tricky out there,” Norris later reflected on his win.

Behind them, George Russell capitalized on the late chaos to grab a podium for Mercedes, while Alex Albon delivered one of his finest performances yet, finishing fourth for Williams. Rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli crossed the line in fourth but dropped to fifth after a penalty for an unsafe pit release, still marking an impressive F1 debut.

‘Nail-biting finish’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...ashes-weather/


Australian GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 Australian GP from Albert Park.
16 Mar 2025
Mat Coch
Speedcafe

Pos Num Driver Team Laps/Diff
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 57 Laps
2 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda + 0.895
3 63 George Russell Mercedes + 8.481
4 23 Alex Albon Williams – Mercedes + 12.773
5 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes + 15.135
6 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin – Mercedes + 17.413
7 27 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber – Ferrari + 18.423
8 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari + 19.826
9 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes + 20.448
10 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari + 22.473

‘Race Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-m...-race-results/


Oscar Piastri Nightmare: Australian GP Curse Strikes Again
Oscar Piastri’s hopes of securing a fairytale podium at his home race were dashed in dramatic fashion when the Australian GP curse claimed another victim.
16 Mar 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

What began as a promising weekend for Piastri ended in heartbreak, adding his name to the list of Australian drivers who have failed to reach the podium at their home race — a list that includes Mark Webber and Daniel Ricciardo. Piastri wasn’t the only Aussie to suffer during the chaotic race. Jack Doohan, Australia’s other representative on the grid, crashed out on the first lap, intensifying the local fans’ disappointment.

Although Piastri had earlier lost P2 to Max Verstappen, he managed to reclaim the position and was running a strong race until his costly error on Lap 44. After sliding off and recovering, he found himself near the back of the field but fought his way back into the points to finish ninth, narrowly avoiding a total disaster.

‘Australian GP curse’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...rse-2025-spin/


Hadjar, Doohan and Sainz all crash out after less than a lap as Australian Grand Prix gets off to dramatic start
16 Mar 2025
Formula One - Official Site

The Australian Grand Prix got off to a chaotic start, with Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan and Carlos Sainz all crashing out before the end of lap one. The formation lap began in treacherous conditions after rain had caused limited running in the support categories, with only F3 completing any racing laps.

“Usually, I take it step by step and we were keen on having the best out-lap possible for the race start,” said Hadjar afterwards. “Early in the lap, you try to warm the tyres and I overdid it. It’s the tiniest mistake you can do and the car is just unsavable and you’re just a passenger. It feels terrible.”

Explaining his exit, Doohan said: “I didn’t really understand what happened, to be honest, until I got back. Just looking at it, whether it was the white line, the inters not up to temperature, it just seemed as I upshifted to fourth I lost the car. Lesson learned and I made sure that I spent some time with the boys to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.”

‘Chaotic start’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...0XG8Mmjc8kf7k6


Isack Hadjar ’embarrassed’ after Australian GP exit: Lewis Hamilton’s father steps in after heartbreaking crash
The rookie’s dream debut ends in disaster as Anthony Hamilton offers words of comfort after shocking formation lap crash
16 Mar 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

Isack Hadjar’s long-awaited Formula 1 debut at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix ended in heartbreak before the race even started, as the Racing Bulls rookie suffered a devastating crash on the formation lap, with Anthony Hamilton picking up the pieces.

As Hadjar returned to the garage, still visibly emotional, Anthony Hamilton approached him with a warm embrace and private words of encouragement — a powerful reminder of the tight-knit nature of the Formula 1 paddock when tragedy strikes.

Reflecting on the moment, Hadjar shared: “It means a lot knowing that he knew where I was. How bad I felt, to go and see me in the worst moment ever, I think it’s nice just from him. I really appreciate that.”

'Words of comfort';

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...lton-consoles/


Australian Grand Prix result: Liam Lawson crashes out in the wet as Lando Norris wins Formula 1 season opener
16 Mar 2025
Alex Powell
NZ Herald

Liam Lawson failed to finish his first full race with Red Bull, as wet conditions wrought havoc on Formula One’s Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Albert Park. Starting from pit lane after a change to his rear wing following Saturday’s qualifying session, Lawson had impressively managed to keep his car on track in treacherous conditions, that saw three drivers out of the race before the end of the opening lap.

But having seen off the initial showers, the return of the rain on lap 45 saw Lawson lose control at turn two, hit the wall, and retire from the race altogether. Red Bull’s decision to pit Verstappen first and leave Lawson out for one lap ultimately backfired, as the Kiwi became one of six drivers to fall victim to the slippery track.

‘Leave Lawson out for one lap ultimately backfired’;

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/mot...DK5XKZO76AYTE/


"Slow" Hamilton asks Ferrari for help during Australian Grand Prix
16 Mar 2025
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

For Hamilton, after qualifying P8 in his first qualifying session for his new team, there was yet more to deal with thanks to the huge amounts of rain, which the seven-time world champion seemed to struggle with in his brand-new machinery.

"Let me know where I'm slow, struggling with driveability, the car is snappy," said the 40-year-old after the race got into its groove, with an aborted start occurring due to Hadjar's crash, as well as a safety car due to Doohan's heavy accident.

"Turn 11 and 12," was the response from new race engineer Riccardo Adami, who also did that job for Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz. The Italian engineer was also told off by Hamilton, telling him to "leave me to it" after informing him twice that his 'overtake mode' was back in use.

"Turn 11 and 12";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33263...ralian-gp.html


Our verdict on F1's chaotic Australian GP + 2025 title fight clues
Mar 16, 2025
The Race

An early title twist: Scott Mitchell-Malm.
Properly ominous: Val Khorounzhiy.

Don't be too hard on the gamblers: Matt Beer.
Confirmation of a big McLaren 2025 headache: Jon Noble.

Questions for Piastri, Ferrari and race control: Gary Anderson.
Watch out for Verstappen: Ben Anderson.
Norris 2.0 passes first stress test: Josh Suttill.

‘Our verdict - The Race’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/o...e-fight-clues/

[Fortitude]

'Why?': Jolyon Palmer questions ‘jittery’ McLaren pit wall decision despite Lando Norris win at the Australian Grand Prix.
McLaren took victory in the Australian Grand Prix with Lando Norris, but it could have been a one-two victory for the defending Constructors’ Champions.
16 Mar 2025
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Jolyon Palmer questions McLaren team orders for Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Piastri was told by his team to hold station after he got to within half a second of Norris, despite the fact that he was lapping four-tenths faster per-lap.

The Australian responded by saying “Ok, but I’m faster” when Stallard said he should stay behind Norris while they pass the backmarkers. Piastri was then told he was free to race Norris once the gap subsided to two seconds, something Palmer could not understand.

“Why the four laps though? Why four laps in, Piastri gets to half a second back with DRS [on Norris] and they say ‘Whoa, whoa, drop back’ then he gets to two seconds back and it’s like ‘race on…’ – it’s like a Safety Car in the middle of the race. I think they were jittery on the pit wall,” said Palmer.

‘Jittery McLaren’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jol...an-grand-prix/


Debate | McLaren's team orders decided Australian Grand Prix
16 Mar 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

Lando Norris was a deserved winner of a very complicated Grand Prix, however, his success at one point was under threat by McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri. At this pivotal point in the race, the papaya team issued team orders to stop an impending fight for the lead between their both drivers, a decision that decided the race in Norris' favour.

As Piastri drew ever-near to Norris, McLaren's "let them race" philosophy went out the window, as they issued team orders advising their recently renewed talent to hold position, killing the Australian's momentum and effectively deciding, not only the potential race result, but also revealing who their chosen challenger for the 2025 Drivers' title is, in both cases, the answer would be: Lando Norris.

After Piastri had fallen back to 2,7 seconds behind his teammate, McLaren overturned the team orders and told the Australian that the "free to race" philosophy had been reinstated. Bu by them the damage to the driver of their #81 car had already been done. Did McLaren's team orders impact the race result, and did they effectively revealed who their contender for the Drivers' title will be in the 2025 season?

‘McLaren's team orders’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33291...driver-is.html


Driver of the day award at the Australian GP was a shocker - it should have gone to incredible Hulkenberg
16 Mar 2025
Sarah Thomas
The Roar

It’s been hard to contain my outrage at the first race of the season. Not because of Liam Lawson’s pitiful performance, or because of Oscar Piastri’s unfortunate spin, but because the public voted Driver Of The Day as race winner Lando Norris.

…the true driver of the day, who has genuinely been robbed of this award for at least a year, Nico Hulkenberg. Last year, it took Sauber until Qatar, the second last race, to score a single point. They were the joke of the sport, who seemed to be in limbo in anticipation for their Audi takeover. That is until Nico Hulkenberg finished 7th from 17th, ahead of both Ferraris.

I have been consistent in my praise of Hulkenberg, and for a team that was essentially a tractor last season to have scored six points in one race, I believe that is what driver of the day should be celebrating. So to the fans voting. Do better. Watch the race, not just the winner.

‘Driver of the day award’;

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/03/1...le-hulkenberg/


Ted Kravitz noticed something very worrying about Isack Hadjar on the grid before his Australian Grand Prix crash
16 Mar 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Hadjar was the first of four drivers taking part in their first full Formula 1 season to crash during the Australian Grand Prix. He managed to navigate the first corner on the formation lap before losing control and spinning into the barriers and forcing an abandoned start.

Ted Kravitz was speaking on Ted’s Notebook after the race and noticed something quite worrying about Hadjar on the grid before his first Grand Prix came to a very swift end. Analysing how every team and driver performed in Melbourne, Kravitz said: “What can you say about Isack Hadjar? You saw the emotion of Formula 1 and what it means to him.”

“I’ve got to say Isack Hadjar was looking pretty nervous on the grid and then he had one of those sort of crashes that you can when you light up the rear wheels of a rear [wheel] drive car and it just swapped around and he went into the barrier. He didn’t even make the start and was consoled by his hero’s dad, Anthony Hamilton. Isack’s hero of course if you watched our show in the beginning, his hero is Lewis Hamilton and Anthony Hamilton knowing that put his arm around Hadjar as he was crying his eyes out walking down the paddock.”

‘Looking pretty nervous on the grid’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ted...nd-prix-crash/


Australian GP conclusions: Norris 2.0, the Max factor and why Hamilton needs time
17 Mar 2025
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

Lando Norris and McLaren are stronger for the experience of 2024.
‘The Max factor’ will buy Red Bull time in F1 2025.

Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari are still in the process of getting to know each other.
Liam Lawson must survive these tricky first few weeks at Red Bull.

Is Fernando Alonso starting to look his age?
F1 driving style analysis: The genius of Fernando Alonso.

‘Australian GP conclusions’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/au...25-conclusions


Aussie F1 GP finishing order changed as Mercedes win protest in rare development
Mar 17th, 2025
Tyson OttoFfoxsports Australia

The final results of the Australian Grand Prix were overturned hours after Lando Norris had claimed victory on Sunday in Melbourne. FIA stewards were forced to backflip on a penalty handed down to Mercedes rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli after he had been penalised late in the race for an unsafe release in pit lane.

Stewards initially ruled Antonelli had cut off Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg after his final pit stop with the German forced to brake to avoid contact. However, in a rare move, Mercedes successfully protested the penalty handed down by race officials. Mercedes officials were clearly not happy with the initial ruling and asked for a right of review.

It took only a matter of minutes for the result to be overturned. “Having examined the new video, plus additional video previously not available to the Stewards and taken from the helicopter, the Stewards decide to reverse the previous Decision,” an FIA statement said.

‘Aussie F1 GP finishing order changed’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...a28128c4af223e


Sainz reveals reason for his crash at the Australian Grand Prix
17 Mar 2025
Balazs Szabo
F1 Technical

Following the incident, the four-time F1 race winner took on the role of a strategist, and his input helped the team decide what calls to make with their other car. "First of all, a massive congratulations to Alex and the team; he did a great job and started off our season on the right foot. For me, we’ve looked at the data and could quickly spot what happened, so this leaves me calmer about the situation.”

"Without going into details, it’s related to the upshifts when in Safety Car Mode. I’m obviously frustrated about it and feel sorry for everyone in the team. I spent the rest of the race trying to help on the radio and I’m happy I could at least participate in that way. Thankfully China is already next weekend and I can’t wait to jump back in the car," concluded Sainz.

“Related to the upshifts when in Safety Car Mode”;

https://www.f1technical.net/news/26449


Norris reveals 'story time' debate after 'shocking' McLaren call
Lando Norris dabbled in a spot of "story time" at the Australian Grand Prix as he navigated the tricky conditions.
16 Mar 2025
Jake Nichol
RacingNews365

Lando Norris has described a "story time" debate with engineer Will Joseph during his run to victory at the Australian Grand Prix.

"To be honest, today, I wouldn't say we were snappy, I felt like I was having story time with Will on the radio, we were talking so much every lap, I might as well have just left my radio open for the whole race.”

‘Lando Norris dabbled in a spot of "story time" at the Australian Grand Prix’;

https://racingnews365.com/norris-rev...g-mclaren-call

[Fortitude]

Wolff delighted with Mercedes: 'Enough pace to challenge at the front'.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli's scintillating drive at Melbourne, from P16 to P4, gave Mercedes the edge on the Constructors' championship, rounding off George Russell's quieter podium-worthy drive to P3...
18 Mar 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

"We leave Australia with many positives but also a healthy dose of realism as to where we stand in the pecking order. The W16 provided a stable platform for the drivers, was less prone to swings in performance relative to the conditions than its predecessor, and at moments, showed strong enough pace to challenge at the front. It's clear we have taken a good step forward over the winter. Our focus is now on unlocking more potential and adding performance. We are excited for that challenge," Wolff began in a Mercedes press release.

"For Kimi, he could not have asked for a more difficult task on his Grand Prix debut: starting out of position, facing extremely difficult conditions and, at times, a treacherous track. Nevertheless, he handled everything that was thrown at him with a maturity beyond his years.”

‘Wolff delighted’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33323...hinese-gp.html


Wolff assesses Antonelli’s performance after impressive P4 on debut in Australia
18 Mar 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Toto Wolff believes Kimi Antonelli got the “result that he merits” after finishing fourth on debut at the Australian Grand Prix. Asked if the Italian's performance in Melbourne made him feel vindicated for selecting the teenager to partner George Russell, Mercedes Team Principal Wolff said: “I think we always knew his potential since he was a kid. He performs under pressure.”

“In Qualifying that wasn’t his doing, he just hit the bump at the wrong place. He would have qualified much further ahead. In the Grand Prix, we saw that he was able to reel in everybody slowly but surely without making any mistakes. He had a little spin, but otherwise P4 is the result that he merits.” Offering his assessment after the opening weekend, Wolff added: “If you look at the real pace today, the pace result would be P4, P5.”

“I think it is a solid first weekend but looking at it from a glass half-empty side, you have to say that the pace of the McLaren is just very strong. It’s something we need to understand, the way they are able to manage the tyres, and to extract the performance. We need to get better if we want to fight on merit for race victories and world championships. There is definitely something we need to find.”

‘Impressive P4’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...mjvjqPHFLGMktW


‘No warning’: F1 team principal totally blindsided’ by how slow his drivers were at the Australian Grand Prix, ‘no warning…’
18 Mar 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Haas were ‘totally blindsided’ by lack of performance at the Australian Grand Prix. Journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm was speaking on The Race F1 Podcast... Ocon and Bearman were the last two classified drivers to finish the race and he explained: “That team was absolutely stunned by its lack of pace this weekend.

“I think it’s [been] totally blindsided by the issues that it’s had. It had no high-speed performance at all this weekend, clearly some kind of aerodynamic issue. What is unclear at the moment because they don’t even know is whether or not there is just something that is absolutely not working on that car, which means it is simply not producing the aerodynamic performance.”

“Or, if something about the way they’ve set the car up, put the cars together, whatever this weekend has just ended in the absolute worst-case scenario for it because there was no sign of this at testing. Haas looked really solid in the midfield and didn’t look like it was in trouble at all because from our perspective, there was no sign of this at all, but they were completely surprised by this. I’ve spoken to people in Haas and Ayao Kamatsu has said as well that there was no warning of this in testing.”

‘No warning’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/f1-...ix-no-warning/


Racing Bulls apologises to Yuki Tsunoda after F1 Australian GP blunder
18 Mar 2025
Dan Lawrence
Motorsport Week

Reflecting post-race, Mekies ruled that the team’s strategy gamble didn’t pay off, holding his hands up to the Racing Bulls’ mistake. “Yuki was performing very strongly until the rain returned,” he said. “There is nowhere to hide, we got our last call wrong, and it cost us very dearly today.”

“For this we apologise to Yuki; the gamble to keep him out didn’t pay off but it’s part of the harshness of motorsport. There is only one way to improve, by working harder together as a team and to come back stronger.”

Tsunoda was clearly disappointed to have lost such a strong result after performing at the top of his game all weekend. “It’s definitely something we have to discuss between the team, but it’s a shame that until then we were fighting very strong and we almost scored massive points for this weekend, so yeah, very disappointed,” he told select media including Motorsport Week post-race.

“Nowhere to hide”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...an-gp-blunder/


Ferrari Make Vow to Lewis Hamilton After Australian GP Disaster
18 Mar 2025
James Hicken
Give Me Sport

Fred Vasseur, Ferrari team principal, has said major improvements will be made to the communication between the pit wall and the car after a disappointing Australian Grand Prix... It was not just a challenging race for the Scuderia, however, as there were three Safety Cars and tricky weather conditions to give the drivers and pit wall a major strategy headache. The complexity of the race also created tensions in the communication between Hamilton and his engineer Riccardo Adami, who could be heard having snappy exchanges over the team radio.

“It’s the first race,” Vasseur explained. “The first time we have to communicate between the pit wall and the car. But we can do a better job, to know each other a bit better. For sure, it was not a clean one at all, but the strategy was difficult. Probably, we need to find a better way to communicate between the car and the pit wall. We will learn from this one, but it’s not an issue.”

‘Communication’;

https://www.givemesport.com/ferrari-...tralian-gp-f1/


Lewis Hamilton's dad shares what he told crying F1 driver after Australian GP disaster
Lewis Hamilton's father consoled a tearful Isack Hadjar at the Australian Grand Prix.
Mar 17, 2025
Archie Griggs
Daily and Sunday Express

Lewis Hamilton's father Anthony has lifted the lid on what he told Isack Hadjar after his unfortunate crash at the Australian Grand Prix. The young Frenchman was preparing to make his F1 debut in Melbourne but did not make it to the grid after spinning out on the formation lap. Revealing what he told the Racing Bulls driver, Hamilton told Canal+: "I just felt terrible for him, so I thought: 'You know what, I just need to go and tell this kid to keep your head high, walk tall, you’re going to come back'.”

"I think he’s a phenomenal driver, I really do. There’s more to come from Isack than we probably have seen this weekend." Hamilton said he felt compelled to offer a crumb of comfort to Hadjar, being fully aware of the sacrifices he would have needed to make to reach the F1 grid. "As soon as I saw what happened to Isack, my heart fell and I just felt for him," added Hamilton.

"It was just so sad to see, because I know how hard it is when these kids are eight years of age and they dream of becoming a Formula One driver. There’s a lot of pressure all of the way up and you’re sitting on the grid for your first race and it doesn’t happen. That’s got to be the worst feeling in the world and I just felt for him. I just wanted to give him a hug. I felt for him like a father."

"Phenomenal driver”;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ian-Grand-Prix


Max Verstappen must be worried after F1 expert declares Red Bull aren’t ‘anywhere near’ McLaren in key area
17 Mar 2025
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull enjoyed a mixed start to their season as one car crashed out of the Australian Grand Prix while the other made the podium. Max Verstappen reminded everyone why he has won the last four consecutive drivers’ championships by finishing second in changeable conditions (not that the reminder was required). Red Bull may have the second-fastest car, but it’s hard to tell after one race at a rather unique track to the Formula 1 calendar.

Marc Priestley thinks that the Milton Keynes-based outfit weren’t anywhere near the papaya cars over a race distance. "Yesterday felt a little like a damage limitation to some extent, which is not what you’d expect to see for Red Bull and Max on the first day of the season,” he said.

“They did not have a car that was anywhere near capable of matching the McLaren in race conditions. In qualifying actually, although Max didn’t quite deliver the perfect lap on Saturday, there were signs that their car is very quick or can be very quick over a lap.”

‘Must be worried’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/features...n-in-key-area/

[Fortitude]

Confident Norris eyes China success as first F1 sprint beckons.
Early championship leader Lando Norris knows he will face a new series of challenges at this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix, including the first sprint race of the season.
19 Mar 2025
France 24

It is a fast turnaround to China, where teams will have just 60 minutes of practice on Friday morning to fine-tune their set-ups before the afternoon's sprint qualifying shootout. The 19-lap sprint race is on Saturday morning before grand prix qualifying later the same day. Sunday sees the main race over 56 laps.

Norris finished a distant second behind Verstappen's Red Bull when Formula One returned to China last April after a five-year absence, but the Englishman is now the man to beat. "I'm confident that when we go to China we can be very strong because we were strong there last year with not a very good car," Norris said after his Melbourne victory.

‘Confident Norris’;

https://www.france24.com/en/live-new...sprint-beckons


F1 supremos enforce new rule after clip from Australian GP impacts Chinese race
The FIA has decided to enforce stricter checks on the technical rules and car restrictions for the F1 Chinese Grand Prix after reviewing on-board footage from the season-opening Australian race
18 Mar 2025
Daniel Moxon
Daily Star

The FIA is set to enforce stricter technical checks on Formula 1 cars, starting from this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix. The rear wings of some cars have been under scrutiny since the last test, with at least one team lodging a complaint with the FIA about others allegedly using overly flexible wings on track.

Given the short notice of this announcement, an additional 0.25mm of flexibility will be allowed exclusively for this weekend's Chinese GP. Teams were informed about this change on Monday morning, March 17, posing a logistical challenge as they prepare to head to Shanghai.

An FIA statement declared: "Having analysed footage from the rear wing deformations combined to the static deflections measured inside the FIA garage in Melbourne, the FIA has concluded that sufficient grounds exist for a tougher test to be introduced from the forthcoming Chinese Grand Prix on the upper rear wing.”

‘Enforce new rule’;

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/f1...hange-34885676


Marko Saw New China GP Flex Clampdown Coming
Mar 18, 2025
F1 Chronicle

A leading Dutch journalist thinks he knows why Dr Helmut Marko left Australia with a smile on his face. Describing Max and father Jos as “pessimists” and himself an “optimist”, Red Bull advisor Marko said he thought the team could close a quite substantial pace gap to early championship leaders McLaren within five races.

Journalist Erik van Haren suspects that Marko, 81, might even have been predicting a faster turnaround even than that. “On Sunday, insiders were already reporting that the FIA would be checking rear wings more strictly from now on,” he wrote in De Telegraaf newspaper.

Amid his optimism, however, even Marko has his doubts about whether the FIA really can curb ingenious F1 engineers who find ways to swerve around the rules. “The teams simply have much more manpower than the FIA,” he told Servus TV. “So in my view, what cannot be verified cannot be permitted.”

‘Left Australia with a smile on his face’;

https://f1chronicle.com/marko-saw-ne.../?nowprocket=1


Wolff delighted with Mercedes: 'Enough pace to challenge at the front'
18 Mar 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

Andrea Kimi Antonelli's scintillating drive at Melbourne, from P16 to P4, gave Mercedes the edge on the Constructors' championship, rounding off George Russell's quieter podium-worthy drive to P3, as such the German team is effectively level with McLaren, and ahead of Red Bull and Ferrari in the Constructors' standings, as Mercedes CEO and Team Principal, Toto Wolff, looks ahead to the Chinese Grand Prix.

Wolff looks ahead to the Chinese Grand Prix: "We now head to Shanghai and look forward to returning to China after what was a remarkable Grand Prix last year. You could sense the passion and energy from the fans as F1 returned to the country for the first time in five years. As the world's largest automotive market, and one of the world's biggest economies, China is crucial to the sport's global footprint. I am sure this year will see another great event," the Mercedes team boss concluded.

‘Challenge at the front';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33323...hinese-gp.html


Lewis Hamilton Sees Untapped Potential in His Ferrari Ahead of Chinese GP
Mar 18, 2025
Saajan Jogia
Newsweek

Ferrari Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton believes his Ferrari SF-25 F1 car has more performance to offer than what was displayed at the Australian Grand Prix last weekend. Hamilton secured the tenth spot in the wet race due to a failed pit strategy but stressed that setting the car up perfectly was key to improving performance.

He acknowledged that while the car's dry performance was confidence-inspiring in the practice sessions, he struggled on race day. Suggesting that the right settings could help extract more performance from the car, Hamilton said: "I'm grateful I got through it, and I came out of it with a little bit of stuff, at least it's one point.”

"Obviously didn't go off or spin today, but lacking pace for sure. But I do believe the car has more performance than we were able to extract this weekend. It was even less performance, for example, in the race, but I think it's all settings."

‘Untapped Potential in His Ferrari’;

https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/a...mainstage_card


Horner looks forward to the Chinese GP: 'The first representative race'
18 Mar 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

McLaren was the dominant team during the Australian Grand Prix. Not only do they have a strong car, but they also managed their tyres the best. However, Christian Horner does not want to draw any conclusions about the pecking order in F1 just yet.

Horner won't draw conclusions until after China: He says the next Grand Prix will give more clarity on the hierarchy in F1. "Actually China is probably going to be the first circuit. Bahrain is unusual because of the track surface there. This circuit is pretty unique."

"China is the first representative race circuit of quite a few of the venues coming up and so it'll be fascinating to see how the car performs there," Horner said.

'The first representative race';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33286...tralia-gp.html


Set your alarms for early 2025 Chinese Grand Prix: Here's the schedule!
18 Mar 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix will be the first sprint event of the season, as such it will have only one practice session. Find out the times for when all the on-track action will take place around the Shanghai International Circuit here!

2025 Chinese Grand Prix schedule
FP1: 03:30 UK time
Sprint Qualifying: 07:30 UK time
Sprint: 03:00 UK time
Qualifying: 07:00 UK time
Race: 07:00 UK time

‘Here's the schedule!’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33323...-schedule.html

[Fortitude]

IT's race week: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix.
After a thrilling and dramatic season-opener in Australia it’s a quick turnaround for the Formula 1 paddock as the teams head to China, with plenty to look forward to after Sunday’s first race. Here are a few of the talking points heading to Shanghai...
19 Mar 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Can Piastri bounce back? It was a tough end to an extremely promising weekend for Oscar Piastri in Melbourne, as the home hero saw his hopes of victory slide off the track behind team mate Lando Norris late in the race.

Ferrari trying to unlock more performance. McLaren’s pace in Australia was largely expected, but Ferrari were also predicted to be a podium contender from the start of this season based on what had been seen in testing.

Rookies getting a quick second chance. Speaking of making use of the experience from the first race of the season, there are a number of rookies who will be looking forward to getting back behind the wheel and having the chance to put the memory of Melbourne behind them.

‘5 storylines’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...argPq3fL6nknUG


Herbert suggests McLaren ‘advantage’ will be gone after flexi-wing action
19 Mar 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The FIA has confirmed a new technical directive which comes into force immediately for the Chinese Grand Prix regarding flexing wings. And in the opinion of three-time F1 race winner turned pundit Johnny Herbert, this will hit McLaren after their winning start to the F1 2025 campaign.

According to Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Waché, McLaren and Ferrari are “doing the mini-DRS stuff still“, yet the FIA issued a statement “to further confirm that during the Melbourne event all cars tested against the requirements of Article 3.15.17 and found to comply, therefore all cars raced in Melbourne were deemed to be legal”.

‘McLaren ‘advantage’ will be gone’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/johnny...wing-advantage


Verstappen optimistic: 'Red Bull working hard to improve'
19 Mar 2025
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com

After a podium finish in the opening race of the season, Max Verstappen is looking forward to this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix. The Dutch driver argues that his team has learned a lot from the race weekend in Melbourne and is doing all it can to turn the tide.

Verstappen explains that Red Bull suffered a lot in Melbourne due to tyre degradation, but has a positive update for his fans. "The tyre degradation particularly impacted us in Melbourne, but we came away with a lot learnings and ways to improve," he stated.

"It is the first Sprint weekend of the season so we need to make sure we have the best set up of the car possible and score as many points as we can," he continued. "We don’t have a huge amount of time to turn everything around, especially with just one practice session, but the Team are working hard to improve."

'Red Bull working hard to improve';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33333...rand-prix.html


Liam Lawson's debut race for Red Bull was one to forget.
Mar 19, 2025
Harry Smith
Daily and Sunday Express

Helmut Marko has revealed that Red Bull will judge Liam Lawson after ‘three to five races’ after the New Zealander endured a nightmare debut for the Milton Keynes squad at the Australian Grand Prix last weekend. Lawson’s Red Bull bow resembled his F1 debut for AlphaTauri at the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix in many regards.

On race day, his troubles worsened. Lawson failed to make any significant headway from his lowly starting position, and when the conditions worsened later in the race, he crashed his RB21 into the wall while trying to navigate a rainy surface with slick tyres on.

According to Marko, the rookie’s performances will soon be under the microscope. “He wanted to show what he can do, and unfortunately, that went wrong,” he said. “We have to let him cool down a bit now and observe his development over the first three to five races.”

‘Liam Lawson's debut race’;

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...ese-Grand-Prix


Pérez's sponsor on Red Bull exit: 'Too many issues involved'
19 Mar 2025
Jenny Garnett
GPblog.com

Jimmy Morales has spoken out about the way Red Bull Racing dealt with Sergio Pérez and his Formula 1 exit. The former driver states that Pérez no longer felt comfortable at Red Bull, revealing that there were flare-ups with Helmut Marko back in Formula 3.

an old acquaintance of Pérez, argues that there was plenty of interest in Pérez from other teams, but that Red Bull's late announcement meant there were no options left. "They had already signed other drivers by then," he said in the Formula de 2 podcast.

The managing director of Escuderia Telmex Telcel, the company that has been Pérez's sponsor for many years, also confirmed that the Mexican no longer felt comfortable with the team. "There are many interests at play. Whether it's fair or not, the internal pressure and Red Bull's advice... There are too many issues involved. Our driver didn't feel comfortable anymore."

‘Flare-ups with Helmut Marko’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33331...-involved.html


Four F1 teams' cars missing ahead of Chinese Grand Prix this weekend - what has happened?
19th Mar 2025
David George
National World

Four F1 teams are reportedly missing their cars just days before the Chinese Grand Prix gets underway. According to journalist Kym Illman, four teams have turned up in China to find that their cars have not made the journey from Australia. The likes of McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes and Aston Martin are reportedly all affected.

There seem to have been disruptions to freight transport out of Melbourne, meaning F1 cars are missing from the paddock - with just two days until free practice begins on Friday, March 21.

Posting on YouTube, Illman said: “I think many of the other teams may also be impacted by this. There is doubt that some of the F1 teams will have their cars ready for free practice on Friday. It’s going to be very tight as to whether or not teams will have their cars.”

‘Four F1 teams' cars missing’;

https://www.nationalworld.com/sport/...d-prix-5040477


FIA step in after F1 teams hit by ‘logistical challenges’ for Chinese GP
19 Mar 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

The FIA has made an alteration to the curfew times imposed on all 10 F1 teams due to “logistical challenges” ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix. This means that teams will now face only a six-hour period on Wednesday night where they cannot work on their cars, rather than the usual 11.5 hours, a system in place to control the workload placed on team personnel at a race weekend.

The FIA notes: “Due to the logistical challenges for the official tyre supplier resulting from delays in freight arrival, specially the requirement to revise the fitting schedule for Wednesday, the following concessions will be made: On the Wednesday, and for this event only, the curfew period will be reduced by a period of five and a half hours for a maximum of six operational personnel for the sole purpose of tyre preparations post tyre fitting from the tyre supplier.”

Respected F1 photographer Kym Illman had claimed in the build-up to the race weekend that four teams – including McLaren and Red Bull – were caught up also in the issues with freight arriving in Shanghai. “The four tech affected teams are Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and Williams.”

‘FIA step in’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/fia-cu...cal-challenges

[Fortitude]

Eddie Jordan: F1's ultimate wheeler-dealer team boss.
The former racer, team boss and broadcaster succumbed to an “aggressive” form of bladder and prostate cancer in the early hours of 20th March 2025.
Mar 20th 2025
James Elson
Motor Sport Magazine

A motor-mouthed wheeler-dealer reminiscent of ‘60s GP upstart British garagistas, he also represented the opportunism of the brash, colourful ‘90s F1 scene with packed paddocks of hopeful pre-qualifiers and lurid liveries which caught the eye.

The team the Irishman set up, Jordan Grand Prix, lives on as the Aston Martin F1 outfit, and is still based in its original location at Silverstone. However, both the presence of Jordan’s former team and his larger-than-life personality mean his legacy is still felt in F1 today.

A man who could delight and confound in equal measure, his former F1 team manager Trevor Foster told Motor Sport: “One day he’s a character you’d drive off the end of the earth for, and the next… if you had a gun you’d shoot him.”

‘F1's ultimate wheeler-dealer team boss’;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#


Eddie Jordan: F1’s last ‘rock and roll’ star, while others ‘were Ascot’
20 Mar 2025
Thomas Maher
PlanetF1.com

Eddie Jordan’s unique style helped him become a huge success in Formula 1, according to his contemporary, David Kennedy. Former Shadow Grand Prix driver David Kennedy has paid tribute to Eddie Jordan, following the sad passing of the Irish F1 team boss.

“He was a one-off. There’s no question about that,” Kennedy said, “It’s a very sad occasion. He was a great ambassador for the sport in general, and particularly for Irish motorsport. There were three of us who really started at the same time – myself, Derek Daly, and Eddie Jordan, and we were probably the first vanguard that left Ireland to seek our fame and fortune in the UK.”

“Where Eddie went one way, into team Racing and team management, myself and Derek went into driving. But what Eddie did… he had a magic gift. He was able to turn a very ordinary situation into something spectacular and who would have imagined that, with the minuscule resources that he had, he would be able to take on the likes of McLaren and Ferrari?”

‘F1’s last ‘rock and roll’ star’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/eddie-...-david-kennedy


Gary Anderson's personal tribute to Eddie Jordan
Mar 20, 2025
Gary Anderson
The Race

I woke up this morning to the sad news that Eddie had lost his battle with cancer. He fought it valiantly, but once it gets a hold it is all down to luck. Eddie was someone who so often beat the odds and achieved the impossible - so it’s hard to believe he’s gone.

When he asked me to design his first Formula 1 car in late-1989, I thought he was mad and said no. Eventually, with a little help from my wife Jennie, he persuaded me to take the job, and in early 1990 I set to work on designing the Jordan 191, or the Jordan 911 as it was originally known.

Formula 1 is very different now and I don’t see anyone coming in and doing whatever EJ did for F1. He was the team owner, team principal, financial director, commercial director and team motivator all rolled into one. In reality, he made F1 what it is today. He showed that if you are willing to put it all on the line personally, then you can achieve it. We all, and especially EJ, loved getting one over the big boys. And we had the pleasure of doing that many times, which is probably why the team had so many fans.

‘To his wife Marie, family and friends, my love goes out to you all. EJ, you will be dearly missed’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/e...y-anderson-f1/


Damon Hill explains why he’ll ‘never’ forget his first Eddie Jordan encounter, ‘opportunity of a lifetime’
20 Mar 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Damon Hill recalls the ‘test of my life’ with Eddie Jordan. Hill raced for Jordan during the final two seasons of his F1 career in 1998 and 1999. He was responsible for their first-ever win at the 1998 Belgian GP.

But he’d been inextricably linked to Jordan at the outset of his career. Speaking on the Formula for Success podcast just last week, he recalled the Irishman’s role in his first significant single-seater test. Hill explained that Jordan wanted a combination of ‘cash and speed’ from any driver before backing them. Fortunately, the youngster was able to put up the funds for ‘the opportunity of a lifetime’.

“Eddie had come from Ireland and set up his team and he’d got a reputation,” Hill said. “He was angling for any driver with cash and speed. That was the criteria. If you had cash, that was a good thing, he’d take that. I got a test with him. In his version of events, he gave me the test of my life, the opportunity of a lifetime. I seem to remember something like £2,000 for 20 laps, maybe it was £20,000. I can’t remember. It seemed to be a lot of money in the day. He’s never let me forget it.”

‘Opportunity of a lifetime’:

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...of-a-lifetime/


Revealed: Eddie Jordan's last public words - on podcast released TODAY - hours before his death at 76
20 March 2025
M BROOKES
MailOnline

The pair were answering fans' questions and Coulthard spoke about being asked whether he ever fancied getting back into a car to race in his 50s. Coulthard revealed his response was always that his peak was in his 30s, and he would just be a worse version of himself nowadays.

Jordan quickly shot back: 'Does that apply to your sex drive as well, David?' Coulthard chuckled before replying: 'No, I'm getting better at that!' Jordan was having none of it as he jokingly replied: 'You lying b******!'

He then added: 'Don't get too high on your own supply,' to which Coulthard responded: 'No complaints!' Jordan ended the hilarious interaction by pronouncing he was 'very happy to hear' Coulthard was having no problems with his sex life.

‘Eddie Jordan's last public words’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-death-76.html


What Eddie Jordan once said about his ‘legacy’ in Formula 1 resurfaces after his passing
Thu 20 March 2025 12:30
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

Eddie Jordan had the pleasure of running a Formula 1 team for 15 seasons between 1991 and 2005, making his mark on the sport in a unique way. His striking yellow cars stuck in the memory of fans, while his 7UP machine is not only synonymous with Michael Schumacher’s debut but also for being one of the greatest liveries ever.

Eddie Jordan admitted his Formula 1 ‘legacy’ was his well-run team. Speaking on the Beyond the Grid podcast in 2018, Jordan shared what he felt his legacy in the sport would be. “Some people will probably look to the rock and roll image and think that was it. I think the yellow car of Jordan.”

“Of course, when I say the yellow car, my favourite of all time was the 7up Michael Schumacher car. That was a very pretty car. My legacy is that I was able to come into it with very little and I left it with more than I came in. However, that’s not important. In that time, every single member of staff got paid. Every single supplier got paid and generally, where possible, absolutely on time.”

‘Legacy was his well-run team’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/features...r-his-passing/


Bernie Ecclestone explains why he won't attend F1 legend Eddie Jordan's funeral
The ex-Formula One supremo has revealed he won't be attending Eddie Jordan's funeral.
Mar 20, 2025
Amos Murphy
Daily and Sunday Express

As revealed after Jordan’s passing, Ecclestone has no intention of going to his chum’s funeral. Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “I would have given him an open cheque because I trusted him totally. I won’t be going to his funeral. I don’t go to funerals. I may not go to mine. He certainly won’t go to mine. So, it’s all fair. It always was with Eddie.”

Ecclestone, who is now into his nineties, had remained in contact with each other, with the Brit mourning the loss of his Irish companion. He added: “I am very, very sad because Eddie was a special guy. Tell me which team principal today is like him. You can’t give me one because there isn’t one. They don’t make them like that now. We will never replace him in Formula One.”

“I may not go to mine. He certainly won’t go to mine. So, it’s all fair. It always was with Eddie.”

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-a...nie-Ecclestone

[Fortitude]

Damon Hill: Eddie Jordan was like the missing member of Rolling Stones – I will miss him dearly.
There will be a blizzard of scarcely believable stories paying tribute to Eddie Jordan at this sad time − and for a very long time to come. We may have lost Eddie, but we at least have that to look forward to.
21 Mar 2025
Damon Hill
The Irish Independent

People who knew him, or even those who had never met him, will be keen to add to what he said, or who he was, or what he did for them. None of them will say he was an awful person, or that he didn’t care, or that there was some malice lurking beneath that gregarious exterior.

Indeed, there was no boundary between his exterior and his interior. Eddie was unashamed of who and what he was. We all envied him his lack of restraint, even though it could make you wince with embarrassment on most occasions.

Eddie bounced from place to place, never resting. He had the energy of a nuclear power station. He was to social convention what a wrecking ball is to a tower block. He just didn’t care for stupid rules and niceties. He would cut the “crap” right out and be alarmingly direct and familiar without ever being impolite.

‘Eddie Jordan was like the missing member of Rolling Stones’;

https://www.independent.ie/sport/oth...164182381.html


Aston Martin pay a stunning tribute to Eddie Jordan
21 Mar 2025
Olly Darcy
GPblog.com

Aston Martin will drive at the Chinese Grand Prix with a tribute to the late Eddie Jordan... "Honoring a true legend of our sport and team. Eddie Jordan's name will proudly feature on our car this weekend as we pay tribute to his incredible legacy in motorsport," is the caption of a video posted by Aston Martin on Thursday morning.

In two posts, Aston Martin reveal that the logo above the name is a derivative of the original Jordan Grand Prix logo from 1991, the year Jordan's team debuted in Formula One.

Aston Martin coming up with such a tribute is not surprising, of course. The current Aston Martin is an offspring of the team founded by Jordan. The Irishman first sold his own team to Midland, before continuing under the name Force India in 2008. That team was eventually bought up by Lawrence Stroll and consorts, transforming it from Racing Point to Aston Martin. However, it is still the same team from Silverstone.

‘Tribute to Eddie Jordan’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33378...ie-jordan.html


Oscar Piastri leads Formula 1 drivers in paying emotional tribute to Eddie Jordan
20 Mar 2025
Shay Rogers
F1 Oversteer

The Formula 1 paddock has been hit with some hard news ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix following the passing of Eddie Jordan. For all he was a vibrant personality, once hilariously called a ‘village idiot’ by Ron Dennis, Jordan’s legacy in Formula 1 meant a lot to him. He always tried his best to pay his staff on time, despite the demands of running an independent team and was largely successful.

All 20 drivers on the current grid are already in Shanghai for this weekend’s event, and some have been sharing their thoughts on social media already. “Proper racer. Will be sorely missed,” wrote McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in an Instagram story.

“Extremely sad to learn that Eddie has passed away. A true icon and loved character of our sport. Passionate, loyal and truly one of a kind. He will be dearly missed. R.I.P,” said Carlos Sainz on his Instagram. And finally, Esteban Ocon added on his Instagram: “I was lucky enough to know Eddie. A great character of our sport and an even better person. My thoughts are with his family and friends. RIP Eddie.”

‘Emotional tribute’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/osc...-eddie-jordan/


Coulthard shares emotional tribute to Eddie Jordan: 'A gift to F1'20 Mar 2025
Kada Sarkozi
GPblog.com

Former driver and the founder of Jordan Grand Prix Eddie Jordan has passed away after battling prostate cancer. The Irishman was an important figure in the world of Formula 1, and a good friend of David Coulthard. The Briton shared a touching tribute on social media today.

In his Instagram post, Coulthard wrote: "Eddie Jordan was a force to be reckoned with beyond what anyone could expect in Formula 1. He was a gift to Formula 1 & he was a gift to Ireland. You never knew quite where his madness would take you next, but you always got there with a smile on your face."

"There will be endless people telling Eddie Jordan stories as long as there is still Formula 1 around. It has been an honour calling him and friend & all of our love to his family & his four children, Mikki, Zoe, Kyle & Zak."

'A gift to F1';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/33374...ie-jordan.html


Christian Horner sends message after Eddie Jordan’s death and shares the advice he gave him during his first year in F1
20 Mar 2025
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Christian Horner shares the advice Eddie Jordan gave him in his first year in F1 in a touching tribute;
His post on Instagram read: “Very sorry to hear Eddie Jordan has sadly passed. Eddie was a hugely colourful character who I first met in 1991 as a young driver at his then new factory after his first year in Formula One. His advice, “get a good sponsor… welcome to the Piranha Club!”

“I was fortunate to overlap with him when I came into Formula One. He was in the twilight of his F1 career race wise (indeed he even tried to sell me his team!) but went into other media activities where he was always full of energy and fun to work with.

“Formula One has lost a legend and we will miss his wit and his Irish charm. On behalf of Oracle Red Bull Racing we send our sincere condolences to Marie and the children at this sad time; our thoughts are with them.”

“God speed Eddie!”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/chr...st-year-in-f1/


Jake Humphrey breaks down in tears as he gives emotional on air tribute to his former BBC F1 co-host Eddie Jordan after his death at 76
20 Mar 2025
LEWIS BROWNING
MailOnline

Presenter Jake Humphrey has given an emotional on-air tribute to former colleague Eddie Jordan, breaking down into tears after the Formula One legend died at the age of aged 76. Humphrey worked alongside Jordan - as well as David Coulthard - on BBC's coverage of Formula One between 2009 and 2012, when he left the channel to join BT Sport.

Speaking on BBC 5 Live on Friday just hours after Jordan's death was revealed by his family, Humphrey struggled to hold it together as he broke down while reading a statement to Jordan. The duo would travel the world to cover the sport for the broadcaster, with Humphrey the anchor and Jordan among the punditry team, and Humphrey was keen to remember those days when talking about his friend.

'He won races, which was remarkable, but more important than that, he won hearts,' Humphrey said. 'I remember when I left F1, a lot of people questioned why I left the BBC to join BT Sport, and I'll never forget he pulled me to one side and said, "I know why you're doing this, you want to be with your kids". My wife was pregnant at the time, and I said, "You're absolutely right". He was the only person in F1 that knew I was walking away to be with my family.'

“He won hearts’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ie-Jordan.html


Gary Anderson pinpoints the ‘great’ achievement Eddie Jordan accomplished in his first season that shaped F1 today
20 Mar 2025
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Gary Anderson says Jordan Grand Prix finishing fifth in 1991 proved to F1 that small teams could compete. Anderson was a close friend and colleague of Jordan. He was headhunted by the Irishman to design Jordan Grand Prix’s first car in 1991, having previously worked for McLaren. Together, they guided the team to an impressive fifth-place finish in their debut season. Jordan scored 13 points – one more than Tyrrell in sixth – with de Cesaris finishing fourth twice in Canada and Mexico.

Speaking on the Off The Ball YouTube channel, Anderson shared how most small teams ‘disappeared’ off the grid after a few races in F1. Jordan proved that those teams were capable of competing if they were willing to ‘fight’ – something that has shaped the sport today. "It is remarkable. I mean the thing that I think that Eddie, and to a lesser degree myself, did for Formula 1 was to prove to Formula 1 that a small tea could do well and it was worth fighting for,” he said. “Before our campaign in 1991, I think most small teams just floundered, they were there for two or three races or whatever, half the season and then just disappeared.”

“Together we fought the fight and we did finish fifth in the championship. As I say there was the big four at that time; McLaren, Ferrari, Benetton and Williams. It was hard to get in among the points but boy it was a good day when you did! Whenever you mixed in with those big boys on a Sunday afternoon and scored some big points, it was such an achievement. And I think that taught Formula 1 to a great degree what it is today, that if you’re willing to fight, get your head down and have a go, there is a chance you can actually do a good job.”

‘Willing to fight’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/gar...aped-f1-today/

[Fortitude]

BREAKING NEWS: Lewis Hamilton takes POLE in China Grand Prix Sprint qualifying as Ferrari star bounces back following dismal debut in Melbourne.
“I'm a bit in shock. I can’t believe we get a pole for the sprint! It puts us in good stead for the race.”
21 Mar 2025
JONATHAN MCEVOY
MailOnline

To paroxysms of cheering from the home crowd, Hamilton pipped Red Bull’s defending champion Max Verstappen (the man who simply refuses to yield even in inferior equipment) by 0.018sec.

‘First, I want to say a big thank you to this amazing crowd we have today,’ said Hamilton, a winner of a record six grands prix in China. ‘I didn't expect that result but I’m so happy and so proud. The last race was a disaster for us and we knew there was more performance in the car but we weren’t able to extract it.’

‘To come here to a track I love is great. Shanghai a beautiful place, the weather has been amazing and the car came alive from lap one. We made some great changes. The team did a fantastic job in the break to get the car ready. I'm a bit in shock. I can’t believe we get a pole for the sprint! It puts us in good stead for the race.’

“I'm a bit in shock”;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...P-Ferrari.html


F1 Chinese GP 2025 – Sprint Qualifying Results
21 Mar 2025
Brandon Sutton

F1 Chinese GP 2025 Sprint Qualifying results
Check out the full F1 2025 Chinese GP Sprint Qualifying results from Shanghai below.
Pos. Driver Team Result
1. Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:30.849
2. Max Verstappen Red Bull +0.018
3. Oscar Piastri McLaren +0.080
4. Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.208
5. George Russell Mercedes +0.320
6. Lando Norris McLaren +0.544
7. Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.889
8. Yuki Tsunoda Racing bulls +0.924
9. Alex Albon Williams +1.003
10. Lance Stroll Aston Martin +1.133

‘Sprint Qualifying Results’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/f1-...fying-results/


Chinese GP: Lewis Hamilton takes Sprint pole with Shanghai lap record
21 Mar 2025
Michelle Foster
PlanetF1.com

Lewis Hamilton has his first pole position in red, the Ferrari driver beating Max Verstappen to the coveted grid slot in Sprint Qualifying in China. Although McLaren were expected to dominate, it was 2021’s title rivals who came to the fore on Friday afternoon with Hamilton 0.018s up on Verstappen having set a new lap record.

Liam Lawson out in SQ1, slowest of all.
Carlos Sainz disappointed by SQ2 exit.
Lewis Hamilton clinches pole position with lap record.

‘Shanghai lap record’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/chines...lifying-report


Hamilton voices 'shock' after major Ferrari breakthrough
Lewis Hamilton secured his first sprint pole position since the 2021 British Grand Prix.
21 Mar 2025
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

Lewis Hamilton has voiced his "shock" after securing sprint pole ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix. "I can't believe it actually, we got a pole in a sprint. It's obviously, not the main race, so we've got work to do for tomorrow, but this puts us in good stead for the race."

Whilst sprint pole is a huge achievement so early into Hamilton's Ferrari career, he is aware of how difficult the sprint race and the grand prix will be. "I didn't get to do a race run in Bahrain," revealed Hamilton. "Obviously, we did the race last weekend in in the wet. But tomorrow will be kind of my first real long-ish run, or race run, and Sunday will be my first proper race run in the dry with this car. So I'll be learning.”

"I'm hoping that we can hold on to it, but I think the McLarens are very, very, very fast, as is Max [Verstappen], but we're in a good position. We'll stay positive and keep our heads high and keep pushing forwards."


‘Lewis Hamilton has voiced his "shock" after securing sprint pole’;

https://racingnews365.com/hamilton-v...i-breakthrough


Hamilton on sprint pole — Lawson is last: what happened in Chinese GP sprint qualifying
March 21st 2025
Dominic Tobin
Motor Sport Magazine

Lewis Hamilton will start alongside Max Verstappen for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix sprint after a brilliant lap secured him pole for the Saturday morning race. Two late laps by Hamilton and Verstappen — split by less than two-hundredths of a second — pushed McLaren’s Oscar Piastri back to the second row of the grid, ahead of Charles Leclerc.

“It’s amazing to see the number 1 when you stop — and [to] be in the red car,” said Hamilton. “I’m a bit gobsmacked, a bit taken aback by it. I didn’t know when we’d get to this position.” Lando Norris had topped the timesheet in the second SQ2 segment of sprint qualifying but failed to make an impact in the final stage: a slide on his fastest lap left him sixth.

Liam Lawson would have gladly taken that result: he continued his steep learning curve at Red Bull, qualifying dead last after struggling to reduce his tyre temperature ahead of his flying lap.

“I’m a bit gobsmacked, a bit taken aback by it”;

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/a...?nowprocket=1#


Everything that happened in Chinese GP practice
Mar 21, 2025
Matt Beer
The Race

The session became a late scramble for a run on soft tyres after a red flag to retrieve Jack Doohan's Alpine, which had stopped in a run-off area. Those qualifying simulations briefly produced a Ferrari 1-2 with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, before Norris split them in an initially very close top three.

But Norris had made errors on that lap, and his second attempt on those tyres produced a 1m31.504s - two seconds quicker than last year's pole time on the newly-resurfaced track - and Leclerc was left 0.454s behind with his own second effort.

Full results
1 Lando Norris (McLaren) 1m31.504s
2 Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.454s
3 Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.649s
4 Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.691s
5 George Russell (Mercedes) +0.873s
6 Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) +1.003s
7 Alex Albon (Williams) +1.183s
8 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1.262s
9 Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1.370s
10 Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) +1.430s

‘Chinese GP practice’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/c...-results-2025/