2025 Australian Grand Prix - Practice & Qualifying Thread

[FerrariF60]

I know it's a little early, but it's been a long winter and i'm getting really excited for the new season to start.
Hopefully the weather Gods will be on our side and the rain will stay away on Sunday. If not that's cool, as we have Lewis now onboard and he's rain master in the rain.

I am cautiously optimistic that come quali and race we'll be in the mix with Mclaren and red bull....who knows where Merc will be and how competitive they'll be.

so many unanswered questions. But we will find out soon enough where exactly we stand against the competition.

[PURE PASSION]

This year I've somehow restored my faith.
I will wait and see how the season will unfold .
Even if we don't start strong I will wait to see how the team will react.
Last year they where pretty good on how they tackle the problems.
So hope for the best but keep faith on the team.

[FerrariF60]

This year I've somehow restored my faith.
I will wait and see how the season will unfold .
Even if we don't start strong I will wait to see how the team will react.
Last year they where pretty good on how they tackle the problems.
So hope for the best but keep faith on the team.

i think the saying goes "hope for the best prepare for the worst"

but like i said, i'm cautiously optimistic this year and i have faith in Fred and the team.
unlike in previous years when Binotto was at the helm

Forza FERRARI

[jgonzalesm6]

There's a 90% chance of rain on Sunday that is forecasted.

[Always44]

There's a 90% chance of rain on Sunday that is forecasted.

That's a guaranteed Lewis win then! BRING IT ON!

[Greig]

Light rain showers forecasted for Sunday nothing to worry about for our boys as they take a 1-2.

[FerrariF60]

Light rain showers forecasted for Sunday nothing to worry about for our boys as they take a 1-2.

from your mouth to the GOD's ears.....

1-2 for me on Sunday would be just "simply lovely"

[Toothlessrage*]

I hope we finally hit our stride!

FROZA FERRARI!

[patrese86]

There's a 90% chance of rain on Sunday that is forecasted.

Not good. Our car has performed awfully in these conditions for many years now. Plus purely as a spectacle having a race where the Stewards don’t let you use full wets as it’s usually too wet and so get you to trundle behind a safety car for multiple laps, most likely with a rolling start and cutting short the race. Wet races aren’t what they used to be and haven’t been for years. Such a shame on a return to Melbourne for the season opener as well

[Aziz]

Light rain showers forecasted for Sunday nothing to worry about for our boys as they take a 1-2.

I just saw a post predicting thunderstorms on Sunday

[FerrariF60]

Not good. Our car has performed awfully in these conditions for many years now. Plus purely as a spectacle having a race where the Stewards don’t let you use full wets as it’s usually too wet and so get you to trundle behind a safety car for multiple laps, most likely with a rolling start and cutting short the race. Wet races aren’t what they used to be and haven’t been for years. Such a shame on a return to Melbourne for the season opener as well

YES, we've NOT been that good in the wet in recent years, BUT this is a totally redesigned car for 2025....NO one knows how it will perform in the wet.....besides, we have Lewis now onboard, which is a RAINMASTER in the wet

time will tell.

[jgonzalesm6]

It's currently raining at the track.

https://x.com/galandec77777/status/1899778185945862559

[FerrariF60]

It's currently raining at the track.

https://x.com/galandec77777/status/1899778185945862559

maybe we'll get rain now and tomorrow (to get it all out of its system) and then skip it for the rest of the weekend including Sunday....that would be nice

[jgonzalesm6]

maybe we'll get rain now and tomorrow (to get it all out of its system) and then skip it for the rest of the weekend including Sunday....that would be nice

Unfortunately, I have seen the weather radar for Melbourne and it looks pretty wet for Sunday. There's a wet system moving to the south of Melbourne Friday and Saturday and then Sunday, this system moves over Melbourne.

[FerrariF60]

Unfortunately, I have seen the weather radar for Melbourne and it looks pretty wet for Sunday. There's a wet system moving to the south of Melbourne Friday and Saturday and then Sunday, this system moves over Melbourne.

well then.....guess it's gonna be a lottery on Sunday
we'll see who's gonna have the most luck

[Always44]

well then.....guess it's gonna be a lottery on Sunday
we'll see who's gonna have the most luck

Ferrari has for the first time got the best wet weather driver on the grid. it's not a problem, Lewis will win if its wet.

[Greig]

Ferrari has for the first time got the best wet weather driver on the grid. it's not a problem, Lewis will win if its wet.

Not so sure, Max is pretty good in the wet.

[Always44]

Not so sure, Max is pretty good in the wet.

Yes he is but I feel RBR won't have the pace this year that they are used to. not based on anything, just a gut feeling (or wishful thinking)

[jgonzalesm6]

Yes he is but I feel RBR won't have the pace this year that they are used to. not based on anything, just a gut feeling (or wishful thinking)

You don't need "pace" in the wet. All you need is talent and skill.

Ever see Max at Interlagos in 2016 in the wet? Ever see Max at Interlagos in 2024 in the wet?

[FerrariF60]

You don't need "pace" in the wet. All you need is talent and skill.

Ever see Max at Interlagos in 2016 in the wet? Ever see Max at Interlagos in 2024 in the wet?

yup hes a BEAST in the wet

[Brembo]

Yes he is but I feel RBR won't have the pace this year that they are used to. not based on anything, just a gut feeling (or wishful thinking)

4 in a row is the WDC limit !!

[nani_s23]

You don't need "pace" in the wet. All you need is talent and skill.

Ever see Max at Interlagos in 2016 in the wet? Ever see Max at Interlagos in 2024 in the wet?

2016 is little exaggerated. Max had the fresh inters on where rest of the field was on pretty much old tires.

[jgonzalesm6]

2016 is little exaggerated. Max had the fresh inters on where rest of the field was on pretty much old tires.

Max lost his car twice in 2016 at Interlagos in the wet. Once he slid sideways and ALMOST hit the barrier but recovered and went on his merry ways. He ended the race P3. He started P16

[nani_s23]

Max lost his car twice in 2016 at Interlagos in the wet. Once he slid sideways and ALMOST hit the barrier but recovered and went on his merry ways. He ended the race P3. He started P16

We all know that RB car has good DF & it was the engine that is drawback for them .. you can check his last stint … while everyone were managing the old tyres. That was easy pickings for him given the car. Nothing to downgrade his skills in wet race, but his drive in 2016 interlagos is little exaggerated.

[GoodtimesF1]

Ever see Max at Interlagos in 2024 in the wet?

Max is obviously talented but let's not pretend he didn't get very lucky in that race. If we would go by that race than Gasly would also be a rain master for putting that car on the podium relative to where he started. And what about our new "rain master" Lewis? He only finished 10th behind George. Could be the nostalgia talking, but I feel like wet weather racing has become more of a lottery since the hybrid era. Feels like every wet race now has multiple safety cars that go on for to long and red flags.

[jgonzalesm6]

Max is obviously talented but let's not pretend he didn't get very lucky in that race. If we would go by that race than Gasly would also be a rain master for putting that car on the podium relative to where he started. And what about our new "rain master" Lewis? He only finished 10th behind George. Could be the nostalgia talking, but I feel like wet weather racing has become more of a lottery since the hybrid era. Feels like every wet race now has multiple safety cars that go on for to long and red flags.

Max made his own luck during that race in a period of MercedesAMGF1 domination. He did make a pit stop or 2 I believe to change to inters as well as everyone else. So this notion Max got lucky because everyone else was on used inters is nonsense.

[PURE PASSION]

🔴 Ferrari: Leclerc explained that during the Bahrain tests, there were no balance issues with the SF-25, but set-up tests were carried out, which is not the case during a Grand Prix weekend.

- "We know there is potential to be exploited, but to be honest, we didn't have any balance issues during the tests. We simply tried different set-up options, trying to understand what direction we needed to take for this first race and, in general, to understand the car. I think we did a good job, but we haven't optimized the car yet, and I don't think any other team has done better. We'll see on Saturday where we stand compared to the others."

- "In F1 today, working on balance is probably the easiest part, but there are really many different directions you can take in terms of philosophy with this generation of cars, which is why we decided that the approach we took was the best way to learn more and improve further. It's work you can't do during a race weekend because it changes the feel of the car so much, and you can't afford to do it in FP1 or FP2."

- "So we had to address this issue, and we did it during testing. Now we're going to continue with the balance settings. We've already worked a lot on this using the simulator, and we'll continue from free practice tomorrow."

(it.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-lec…)

[Rishu]

Max is obviously talented but let's not pretend he didn't get very lucky in that race. If we would go by that race than Gasly would also be a rain master for putting that car on the podium relative to where he started. And what about our new "rain master" Lewis? He only finished 10th behind George. Could be the nostalgia talking, but I feel like wet weather racing has become more of a lottery since the hybrid era. Feels like every wet race now has multiple safety cars that go on for to long and red flags.

You can dislike Max but acknowledging his 2024 Brazilian GP drive is not that difficult, it was a masterclass

[Rishu]

🔴 Ferrari: Leclerc explained that during the Bahrain tests, there were no balance issues with the SF-25, but set-up tests were carried out, which is not the case during a Grand Prix weekend.

- "We know there is potential to be exploited, but to be honest, we didn't have any balance issues during the tests. We simply tried different set-up options, trying to understand what direction we needed to take for this first race and, in general, to understand the car. I think we did a good job, but we haven't optimized the car yet, and I don't think any other team has done better. We'll see on Saturday where we stand compared to the others."

- "In F1 today, working on balance is probably the easiest part, but there are really many different directions you can take in terms of philosophy with this generation of cars, which is why we decided that the approach we took was the best way to learn more and improve further. It's work you can't do during a race weekend because it changes the feel of the car so much, and you can't afford to do it in FP1 or FP2."

- "So we had to address this issue, and we did it during testing. Now we're going to continue with the balance settings. We've already worked a lot on this using the simulator, and we'll continue from free practice tomorrow."

(it.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-lec…)

I seriously hope we are in the title fight this year, I can sense the positivity

[evo_spook]

You can dislike Max but acknowledging his 2024 Brazilian GP drive is not that difficult, it was a masterclass

Seen many master classes, by many different drivers over many different years.
Sure Max had a good drive that day, but don't make out it wasn't replicated over the years.