Charles Leclerc puts Ferrari on top in second F1 Australian GP practice session in Melbourne
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FP2 Summary Australian GP
The second free practice session for the 2025 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix began as scheduled, with the teams heading out onto the track as soon as the green light came on. McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari started working on their weekend preparations, building on the positive momentum from the tests. The MCL39, which had been the reference car to beat since the tests, remained at the top of the FP1 standings.
After a few laps and simulations with the yellow tire, the timing references showed that the SF-25 performed well on the medium tire, followed by McLaren and Mercedes. After completing the first run, the teams returned to the track with the red C5 tire to try the fast lap and simulate qualifying. These laps provided some references, but without absolute value. McLaren’s Lando Norris set the reference time at 1:16.580, a time achieved on his second attempt with the red tire. A few minutes later, Charles Leclerc responded, and on his second attempt, he put his SF-25 at the top with a lap time of 1:16.439.
With the usual 15 minutes remaining on the clock, all teams began their long-run simulations. This long-distance test favored Ferrari, where Charles Leclerc set a very convincing pace thanks to a slow introduction. Consistent and convincing lap times aligned with McLaren’s pace.
As the session neared its conclusion, Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman was preparing to head out onto the track after his team had finished repairing his car following his FP1 crash. However, the checkered flag waved before the Briton could even get his Haas F1 car out of the garage.
Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen provided a thrilling display for the spectators as the teams carried out their race pace simulations. The Monegasque driver made a daring attempt to pass Verstappen, looking up the inside of the Dutchman as they approached Turn 11.
Here are the final results from FP2 at the Albert Park circuit:
| Position | Driver | Team | Time | Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:16.439 | ||
| 2 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:16.563 | 0.124 | |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:16.580 | 0.141 | |
| 4 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 1:16.784 | 0.345 | |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:16.859 | 0.420 | |
| 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 1:17.019 | 0.580 | |
| 7 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:17.063 | 0.624 | |
| 8 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber | 1:17.161 | 0.722 | |
| 9 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:17.279 | 0.840 | |
| 10 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:17.282 | 0.843 | |
| 11 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:17.302 | 0.863 | |
| 12 | Alex Albon | Williams | 1:17.302 | 0.863 | |
| 13 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:17.330 | 0.891 | |
| 14 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | 1:17.394 | 0.955 | |
| 15 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:17.493 | 1.054 | |
| 16 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:17.634 | 1.195 | |
| 17 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull | 1:17.640 | 1.201 | |
| 18 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1:17.847 | 1.408 | |
| 19 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 1:18.034 | 1.595 | |
| 20 | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
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