Rain expected on race day in Melbourne, but Verstappen is ready
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Formula 1 kicks off its 2025 season this weekend in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix, and all eyes are on the weather as drivers gear up for the challenge.
But what Mother Nature has in store could shape the race at Albert Park.
Current forecasts promise a scorching start, with sunshine dominating the first two days. Friday might see a few clouds drifting over the circuit, but the heat is set to hold strong.
However, Sunday is looking quite a bit dodgy. There's a high chance of the wind picking up in the morning and a rainy front crossing the area in the afternoon, with rainfall projected to reach 20mm.
Furthermore, cooler conditions are expected to prevail, with temps dropping back down to 24°C.
Verstappen Happy to Kick Into Gear
For the first time since 2019, Melbourne is hosting F1's season opener after the 2020 race was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Max Verstappen, who made his debut at this race a decade ago, is happy to see the season kick off in Australia once again, come rain or shine.
"The weather seems like it's a bit all over the place every single day," commented the Red Bull charger.
"We're going to experience quite a bit of heat and then a bit of rain, probably."
©RedBull
However, the reigning world champion is impatient to kick into gear after the winter break.
"I'm happy that it's the first race again," he added. "I prefer arriving here and just having the first race. It's also how I started in Formula 1, then for a couple of years it went to another grand prix."
"The track itself as well is very fast," he added. "Of course a few years ago they changed the layout of the track and I think that makes it a bit more exciting also to race on."
Regarding Red Bull's prospects for this weekend's curtain raiser, the team's RB21 design is expected to underperform its direct rivals, or at least McLaren, a view shared by Verstappen himself after pre-season testing in Bahrain.
"I think we all expected a little bit more from it [testing]," said the Dutchman.
"But in a way I'm just very happy to be here because then we can finally see where we're at because otherwise you just keep on thinking about it and it makes no sense anyway.
"You have to start at some point and hopefully it's not too bad."
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