The 2025 Formula 1 season has begun! Last Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix was an incredibly unpredictable and exciting race, sure to be remembered as one of the most thrilling season openers in the sport’s history.

Melbourne was full of drama. The pre-season favorites showed their speed, all eyes were on big names in new teams, and a promising teenager started what could be a remarkable career.

Now that the teams have left Albert Park and are heading to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix this Sunday, Laurence Edmondson and Nate Saunders share their initial reactions to the key stories from the first round of the 2025 F1 season.

Hamilton’s Move to Ferrari Might Be a Mistake

Lewis Hamilton finished 10th in his first race for Ferrari. After much anticipation for his debut, it turned out to be somewhat underwhelming. Hamilton was slower than his teammate Charles Leclerc throughout the weekend and struggled to overtake a Racing Bull and a Williams during the race. Meanwhile, his former Mercedes teammate George Russell reached the podium, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Hamilton’s replacement, achieved an impressive fourth place in his debut.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

It’s too early to jump to conclusions – it was just one race. Hamilton, who has been smiling since joining Ferrari, still seemed positive on Sunday evening, appearing relieved to have finished a chaotic race in one piece.

The race was a learning experience for everyone. Team principal Frédéric Vasseur has promised to review Hamilton’s communication with his new race engineer Riccardo Adami. Hamilton has mentioned the significant changes from Mercedes to Ferrari, including steering wheel buttons and data analysis methods. The communication issues during the race highlighted the adjustments both sides still need to make.

Hamilton is a seven-time world champion and the most successful driver ever, so excuses about adapting will not last long. In fact, this explanation for his performance might already be wearing thin, considering his reputation. He is rightly held to a higher standard than most.

Regarding the Mercedes/Ferrari comparison, unless Mercedes is competing for championships, their position relative to Ferrari is ultimately unimportant. Ferrari felt they underperformed over the weekend, while Mercedes looked strong and adapted well to changing conditions. However, neither team seems to be a serious threat to McLaren at this stage, or perhaps for the entire season.

Hamilton’s move fulfilled a childhood dream to race for Ferrari, and one bad result compared to Mercedes doesn’t change that. If Mercedes wins a title this year or in 2026 before Ferrari does, it might raise questions about his legacy. But for now, it’s not a mistake. He promised the Ferrari fans an exciting journey, and he is still enjoying every moment. — Saunders

McLaren Is Uncatchable This Year

Lando Norris lived up to his pre-season favorite status by securing pole position and winning the race in Melbourne. In drying conditions on intermediate tires, the McLarens were 1.5 seconds faster than any other car, with the MCL39 demonstrating excellent tire management and speed in various corners.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

If all 24 races were at Albert Park, McLaren might be unbeatable for the championship. However, the variety of circuits, even in the next five races, will likely cause shifts in the competitive order.

Ferrari initially seemed like a strong rival to McLaren in practice but struggled to adapt to the changing conditions. This likely stems from a gap in their understanding of the car. Ferrari also made significant changes to their car over the winter, which will take time to optimize.

Furthermore, McLaren’s competitors believe their performance might decrease due to stricter bodywork flexibility tests coming into effect from the Spanish Grand Prix. If so, even a dominant start might fade as the season progresses.

It’s also important to remember that last year, Red Bull seemed unbeatable, yet McLaren emerged as the strongest overall team by mid-season. Drawing conclusions from one race in mixed conditions on a unique circuit is unreliable. — Edmondson

Red Bull Promoted the Wrong Driver

Liam Lawson struggled in his Red Bull debut, qualifying 18th and spinning out in the rain. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda of Racing Bulls stood out, qualifying sixth and potentially finishing higher than 12th if his team hadn’t misjudged the weather.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

The Australian race highlighted Red Bull’s driver situation. Max Verstappen was exceptional in all conditions, while his teammate seemed to be in a different class of car. Tsunoda, in contrast, was impressive for Racing Bulls, showing the confidence, speed, and consistency Red Bull desires in Verstappen’s teammate. Yet, he remains outside the senior team for unexplained reasons.

This isn’t to criticize Lawson, who is clearly talented. However, he was promoted to the top team prematurely. Like Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon before him, Lawson was moved up due to circumstances. It would be unfortunate if he struggles alongside Verstappen. Lawson showed aggressive racing last year but was still outpaced by Tsunoda in both 2023 and 2024.

Tsunoda is now the most experienced driver in the Red Bull junior program, entering his fifth season.

Lawson may improve on familiar tracks, as he had never raced at Albert Park. His debut was challenging, and pressure will build if he doesn’t improve quickly. Both Lawson and Tsunoda deserved a full year in their respective teams to prove their potential. — Saunders

Antonelli Could Be the Next Verstappen

Antonelli’s impressive drive from 16th to fourth in his debut was a highlight of the race. Despite tricky conditions, Antonelli performed like a veteran, finishing just outside the podium.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

While it’s just one race and Antonelli made a qualifying mistake, his performance reinforced the hype surrounding him. Top F1 drivers excel in wet conditions, and Antonelli found grip in unexpected places and overtook more experienced drivers, reminiscent of Verstappen’s early seasons.

Mercedes’ strategy helped, moving him from 10th to fifth during pit stops, but Antonelli’s driving was still remarkable. Among rookies, he looks destined for greatness. There’s good reason to be excited about his future. — Edmondson

Alonso Is Not the Same Anymore

Fernando Alonso qualified just 0.081 seconds ahead of Lance Stroll and uncharacteristically spun out in the rain. This unusual mistake for Alonso suggests that perhaps this year is one too many for the 43-year-old, the grid’s oldest driver.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

Signs were there last year, but Alonso’s outstanding performances have become less frequent. The gap to Stroll has narrowed, and his spin was a basic error unexpected from someone considered one of F1’s most complete talents.

Deeper issues may exist. Alonso thrived in 2023 when Aston Martin was briefly competitive, but last year was tougher, and this year looks similar. Alonso is racing against time to find a competitive car, and the strain is visible in his media interactions, which seemed tired and uninspired even in the first race.

Hopefully, Adrian Newey’s arrival, mainly focused on the 2026 car, can revitalize Aston Martin’s upgrades and reignite Alonso’s passion before it’s too late. — Saunders

Piastri Isn’t Ready to Challenge Norris

Oscar Piastri spun off track on lap 44, losing a potential podium finish. Perhaps it was the ‘Australian curse,’ preventing Australians from a home podium, but Piastri missed a significant opportunity and is already 23 points behind Norris after one race.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

Albert Park’s conditions made the difference between success and failure minimal. Norris also made the same mistake as Piastri on lap 44, showing how challenging it was in heavy rain at Turn 12. Norris recovered slightly quicker, while Piastri ran out of track.

About 15 laps earlier, Piastri was closing on Norris and looked faster. McLaren, keen to secure a win with their cars far ahead of Verstappen, stopped the drivers from racing each other, potentially denying Piastri his best chance to win his home race.

Piastri also qualified well, just 0.084 seconds behind Norris, a gap that can easily change. Sunday’s result will motivate Piastri to bounce back quickly. — Edmondson

F1 Should Always Start the Season in Melbourne

Albert Park delivered an exciting race, with changing weather challenging everyone. Six drivers retired, and the safety car appeared three times. It could be considered one of the best season openers in modern F1 history.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

Albert Park should always host the season opener. The atmosphere in Melbourne was fantastic, and the local fans love F1. Albert Park has a classic feel with challenging corners and punishing gravel traps, unlike Bahrain’s large run-offs, which has been a recent season opener.

The weather was unpredictable, adding to Melbourne’s appeal as a race host. Even before the rain, the circuit challenged rookies like Oliver Bearman.

Bahrain is visually impressive at night, but Australia feels like a return to the early 2000s. Australia deserves to keep this tradition. Piastri’s presence on the grid adds to the excitement, as he aims to break the Australian podium curse, becoming a key storyline. — Saunders

Williams Can Finish Fifth in Constructors’

Williams exceeded pre-season expectations, with Albon out-qualifying and finishing ahead of both Ferraris in fifth place. While Carlos Sainz struggled in the conditions, Williams and Racing Bulls appear to lead the midfield behind the top teams. Williams is currently fourth in the standings.

Verdict: NOT AN OVERREACTION

After rebuilding for years, Williams looks like a strong team again. Sainz had a poor weekend but is likely to recover.

Williams has pace and two drivers who can maximize the car’s potential. With questions around Aston Martin and Alpine’s performance, Williams has a chance to secure their best championship position since 2017, aiming for fifth. — Edmondson

The Rookie Class Isn’t Prepared Enough

Every rookie struggled at some point during the weekend. Bearman had a difficult weekend. Isack Hadjar crashed on the formation lap, Jack Doohan spun on lap 1. Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto also went off in the rain. Even Antonelli spun at one point. It seemed like the rookies were not ready.

Verdict: OVERREACTION

This rookie class is actually well-prepared due to changes in testing rules. Several rookies, including Lawson, Bearman, and Doohan, have F1 race starts, practice sessions, and Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) experience. Esteban Ocon noted that rookies now have more relevant track time than in the past.

However, Australia was a unique race.

Rain is different in modern F1, as tests are often in the Middle East. Wet conditions are rare until races. Even Hamilton joked about finding the wet-weather tire button on his Ferrari. Sainz and Alonso, experienced drivers, also crashed in the rain, showing the conditions’ difficulty.

Antonelli’s strong finish showed the class’s potential. This talented rookie group can recover from a tough first weekend and perform well this year. — Saunders