There may have been only two practice sessions of the 2025 Formula 1 season so far, but there have already been some standout performers at the Australian Grand Prix.
Lando Norris topped the timesheets in FP1 with a 1:17:252. McLaren are the clear favourites after pre-season testing and the Brit has given more evidence to prove that – even if it is practice.
Interestingly, Norris is playing down his title chances in 2025, labelling people ‘short-sighted’ for saying McLaren have a clear advantage over their rivals already. The 25-year-old will be looking to dethrone Max Verstappen after losing out by 63 points in 2024.
The Australian Grand Prix is also the first opportunity for the six new full-time drivers to get to grips with their machinery. Isack Hadjar went quickest of the rookies in FP1 with ninth for Racing Bulls – two tenths quicker than Yuki Tsunoda.
It was not a smooth outing for Oliver Bearman. The Brit crashed his Haas at turn 12 after completing just 12 laps and has had to change his gearbox and engine already.
One driver who certainly made an impression in practice on Friday was Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard is showing strong signs of performance at Williams.
David Croft scrambles to put Carlos Sainz in his F1 Fantasy team after seeing him at the Australian Grand Prix
FP1 will be difficult to read into for a definitive order of the grid. However, Sainz surprised everyone by going second-fastest in his FW47 – just a tenth and a half behind Norris.
Team principal James Vowles wants Williams to have a ‘commonplace’ in the top 10 this season and his latest recruit may have shown that is more than achievable.
In FP2, Sainz continued to impress as he set the fastest time 10 minutes into the session. Sky Sports commentators David Croft and Karun Chandhok loved how the 30-year-old seemed comfortable in his new surroundings just three months after his move from Ferrari.
“I just think Carlos looks really dialled in on this track,” said Croft, to which Chandhok replied: “In that car as well. “Let’s bear in mind, he’s not had a lot of time in the Williams, has he? He’s had one day in Abu Dhabi in the old car and then a day and a half in Bahrain with the new car.
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“But, we’ve seen this before Carlos. He’s switched teams… for example when Daniel Ricciardo went to McLaren, he struggled in the new team, struggled to get into the driving style.
“Carlos, this is his fifth different team and you have to say he’s got on with it pretty much every time. He’s managed to switch to a new team and get himself up to speed.”
Croft then said as Sainz crossed the line on his first FP2 lap: “26.7 for Carlos Sainz through the first sector is the fastest we’ve seen so far, there’s purple on the screen rather than Majenta. Round the final corner looked pretty majestic from Carlos Sainz, crosses the line, goes fastest by two and a half tenths.”
The commentator was so impressed by the Spaniard that he was left scrambling to change his F1 Fantasy team: “I’m adjusting my fantasy F1 team as we speak on this one. I’m putting Williams back in.”
Carlos Sainz Sr shares how Williams are treating his son differently to other teams
Williams pulled off a major coup by signing Sainz to an initial two-year contract – they have given him the option to leave at the end of 2026 if they fall short of his expectations.
The Spaniard has a great track record of taking teams further up the grid, as evidenced by his time at Renault, McLaren and Ferrari. He is looking to replicate that at Williams and the 30-year-old already looks at home in Grove.
Carlos Sainz Sr says Williams are listening to his son’s feedback more intently, allowing him to be ‘super motivated’ ahead of the 2025 season. With Alex Albon beside him, the team have a strong driver pairing to push further up the order.
Williams are focusing their attention on 2026 and acing the new regulations. But it is clear that they can be capable of strong results this year – which will put the team in good stead to perform in the future.
