By Evelyn Reed
Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit
Circuit Facts
- First Grand Prix: 1996
- Laps: 58
- Circuit Length: 5.278 Km or 3.279 Miles
- Race Distance: 306.124 Km or 190.216 Miles
- Lap Record: 1:29.813 by Charles Leclerc (2024)
Practice:
FP1:
- Red Flag: The Alpine pushed gravel on to the track causing a session stop to clean that up.
- Red Flag: Oliver Bearman in the Hass took too much kerb, oversteered leading him into the gravel, then hitting the barriers. Damaging the rear and front of the car.
FP2:
- Nico Hulkenberg running wide and finding himself in the gravel. Nothing bad happened and he got out of the gravel trap safely.
FP3:
- Red Flag: Oliver Bearman beached his car in the gravel at Turn 11. After his crash in FP1 he did not participate in FP2 and now his crash is FP3 means he will not get a chance to test the circuit before qualifying later today.
| FP1 | FP2 | FP3 |
| 1. Lando Norris | 1. Charles Leclerc | 1. Oscar Piastri |
| 2. Carlos Sainz | 2. Oscar Piastri | 2. George Russell |
| 3. Charles Leclerc | 3. Lando Norris | 3. Max Verstappen |
| 4. Oscar Piastri | 4. Yuki Tsunoda | 4. Charles Leclerc |
| 5. Max Verstappen | 5. Lewis Hamilton | 5. Kimi Antonelli |
| 6. Alex Albon | 6. Isack Hadjar | 6. Carlos Sainz |
| 7. George Russell | 7. Max Verstappen | 7. Alex Albon |
| 8. Fernando Alonso | 8. Nico Hulkenberg | 8. Lewis Hamilton |
| 9. Isack Hadjar | 9. Lance Stroll | 9. Yuki Tsunoda |
| 10. Lance Stroll | 10. George Russell | 10. Lando Norris |
Qualifying:
- Oliver Bearman was out in Q1 after a gearbox issue meaning he did not set a time
- Yellow Flag: The yellow flags were called on because of gravel on the track caused by Lawson who locked up and ran wide.
- Yellow Flag: in Q2 Lewis Hamilton stopped on track facing the wrong way. He managed to get going again! However potentially ruining his lap and tyres.
| 1. Lando Norris | 2. Oscar Piastri |
| 3. Max Verstappen | 4. George Russell |
| 5. Yuki Tsunoda | 6. Alexander Albon |
| 7. Charles Leclerc | 8. Lewis Hamilton |
| 9. Pierre Gasly | 10. Carlos Sainz |
| 11. Isack Hadjar | 12. Fernando Alonso |
| 13. Lance Stroll | 14. Jack Doohan |
| 15. Gabriel Bortoleto | 16. Kimi Antonelli |
| 17. Nico Hulkenberg | 18. Liam Lawson |
| 19. Esteban Ocon | 20. Oliver Bearman DNS |
The Race:
Race Recap:
- Formation Lap: Due to rainy weather Isack Hadjar was trying to warm his tyres and spun his car into the barriers at the 2nd corner. Causing damage to his rear wing as well as causing an aborted start for the race while the car is cleared off track.
- Safter car is out as Jack Doohan crashed around turn 6.
- Lap 2: Carlos Sainz also crashed down at turn 13. He lost his rear due to weather and went sideways into the barriers.
- Lap 34: Fernando Alonso hits the wall, causing saftey car to be deployed.
Fastest lap:
- Lando Norris: 1:22. 167
Driver of the Day:
- Lando Norris
Race Results:
| Driver | Time | Points |
| 1. Lando Norris | 1:42:06.304s | 25 |
| 2. Max Verstappen | + 0.895s | 18 |
| 3. George Russell | + 8.481s | 15 |
| 4. Kimi Antonelli | + 10.135s | 12 |
| 5. Alex Albon | + 12.773s | 10 |
| 6. Lance Stroll | + 17.413s | 8 |
| 7. Nico Hulkenberg | + 18.423s | 6 |
| 8. Charles Leclerc | + 19.826s | 4 |
| 9. Oscar Piastri | + 20.448s | 2 |
| 10. Lewis Hamilton | + 22.473s | 1 |
| 11. Pierre Gasly | + 26.502s | 0 |
| 12. Yuki Tsunoda | + 29.884s | 0 |
| 13. Esteban Ocon | + 33.161s | 0 |
| 14. Oliver Bearman | + 40.351s | 0 |
| 15. Liam Lawson | DNF | 0 |
| 16. Gabriel Bortoleto | DNF | 0 |
| 17. Fernando Alonso | DNF | 0 |
| 18. Carlos Sainz | DNF | 0 |
| 19. Jack Doohan | DNF | 0 |
| 20. Isack Hadjar | DNF | 0 |
Note: Both Liam Lawsons and Oliver Bearman’s cars were modified under Parc Ferme conditions meaning both drivers have to start from the Pit Lane.
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