Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. Photo: X| F1 Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit. Photo: X| F1

Lights out, and away we go! The 2025 Formula 1 season kicks off in Melbourne with the Australian F1 Grand Prix unfolding on the weekend of March 14-16, featuring Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut, fresh rookies on the grid, and several track changes. (More Motorsport News)

This time, After 12 incredible seasons with AMG Mercedes Petronas, the seven-time World Champion is set for a fresh star, in Ferrari, in red, lining up alongside Charles Leclerc.

Rookies:

The grid of Albert Park will see six rookies making their full-time debuts: Oliver Bearman at Haas, Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes, Jack Doohan at Alpine, Gabriel Bortoleto at Sauber, Liam Lawson will drive for Red Bull Racing, and Isack Hadjar for Racing Bulls.

What happened last year at Australian Grand Prix?

The 2024 Australian Grand Prix had it all—drama, chaos, and unforgettable moments. Max Verstappen’s brakes caught fire, while Carlos Sainz, still recovering from appendix surgery, pulled off a remarkable win for Ferrari.

But the biggest talking point was the terrifying crashes of George Russell and Alex Albon at Turns 6 and 7, both triggering red flags. Russell’s Mercedes flipped violently before coming to rest on its side, leading to significant track changes for 2025 to improve safety.

Changes at the Melbourne Park Circuit in 2025:

For the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, the Melbourne Park Circuit has undergone several safety changes at Turns 6 and 7, the site of George Russell and Alex Albon’s heavy crashes last year.

The barrier has been repositioned and angled to prevent cars from rebounding onto the track, sections of the kerbing have been flattened to reduce instability, and the gravel trap has been extended closer to the kerbs to help slow cars before impact. All these modifications aim to improve driver safety and reduce the risk of similar incidents.

The club, who have strongly denied all the charges and say they have "irrefutable" evidence of their innocence, were referred to an independent commission,7jogos slots and their long-awaited hearing began last week.

Lando Norris in Pole Position

McLaren have locked up the front row in Melbourne, having trumped their rivals, including Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari — whose drivers, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, will start from seventh and eighth on the grid.

Lando Norris set a blazing final qualifying lap to seal pole position, his first at Melbourne's Albert Park, and milestone 10th overall, in front of his teammate Oscar Piastri, and a record Saturday crowd of 136,347 at Albert Park.

Australian Grand Prix 2025 Race Timings:

Free Practice 1: Friday, March 14, 2025, from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM IST

Free Practice 2: Friday, March 14, 2025, from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM IST

Free Practice 3: Saturday, March 15, 2025, from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM IST

Qualifying: Saturday, March 15, 2025, from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM IST

Main Race: Sunday, March 16, 2025, starting at 9:30 AM IST

Where to watch the Australian F1 Grand Prix Race?

The Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2025 race will be live streamed on FanCode app and website in India. carinhopg