FP2 Australia telemetry analysis: key details of thrilling Ferrari-McLaren battle

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Formula 1 kicks off in Australia for the 2025 season. Thus, the Melbourne circuit is the first to shed light, at least initially, on the various questions raised during testing. The biggest surprise on Friday at the top was undoubtedly Ferrari. The Scuderia seems to have dispelled the doubts that had been cast upon it in Bahrain, instead showing that it can genuinely fight for the lead against McLaren. Let's analyze the telemetry of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri in FP2 Australia at the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne. Oscar Piastri's lap was considered not only because he was the closest papaya-colored driver to the best time set by car #16 but also because it was completed at the same moment.

Start of the lap: absolute parity
The initial part of the lap shows minimal gaps between the cars. The top speed on the first straight is identical at 323 kph. As in the first practice session, Ferrari proves competitive in the T1-2 section, both in braking and, more importantly, through the corners, displaying good aerodynamic and mechanical balance. Charles Leclerc is able to maintain throttle at around 10%, unlike his rival, who lifts completely. In this phase, the Monegasque gains four hundredths of a second.

However, Oscar Piastri performs slightly better in acceleration, particularly in the initial phase, likely due to a different use of the hybrid system. At the end of the second straight, the gap is just 12 thousandths of a second.

T3-T4: first Ferrari gains, then McLaren closes in
In the braking zone for Turn 3, the Ferrari driver manages to brake later, carry more speed, and get back on the throttle earlier than Oscar Piastri, gaining almost two-tenths of a second. However, a slight snap from Leclerc and a very competitive McLaren in the following section, with car #81 maintaining a minimum speed 7 kph higher, cut this advantage in half.

In the next acceleration phase, the same pattern seen at the exit of T2 repeats, with the Australian gaining the upper hand and reducing the gap to the Monegasque to less than half a tenth.

Second sector: Charles Leclerc extends his advantage
Melbourne's second sector, with the layout introduced in 2022, is tackled almost entirely at full throttle, except for a single braking zone at Turn 6. At this point, Charles Leclerc prevails, carrying 3 kph more thanks to a 30% throttle application compared to Oscar Piastri's 0%. This allows the Ferrari driver to gain a tenth.

In the next full-throttle stretch leading to T9, however, Ferrari loses ground again, and the Australian closes back to within a tenth. The cause could be the greater drag of the SF-25 with this aerodynamic configuration or differences in the power unit mapping.

Third sector: Ferrari well-balanced
S3 begins with what is likely the most challenging section of the circuit, where both lateral car performance and the driver's ability to maximize it make the difference—T9-10. In this case, Oscar Piastri wins the “battle,” carrying 6 kph more and gaining half a tenth. However, such cases are typically influenced by how conservative the driving approach is during practice (in contrast, Charles Leclerc was less so in FP1). A more reliable assessment will only be possible after qualifying when all drivers take similar risks.

In all the following corners, however, the Monegasque consistently carries more speed: 5 kph in T11, 3 kph in T12, and 6 kph in T13. Additionally, beyond cornering speed, Charles Leclerc also gains in traction, particularly at the exits of Turns 11 and 14.

In conclusion, the gap was minimal, setting the stage for an intense and exciting battle. Furthermore, as the data suggests, the two cars seem to generate lap time in opposite ways, meaning the winner will be the one who finds the best overall performance.

Source: f1ingenerale

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