Australia Overreactions: McLaren Unbeatable, Hamilton Regret

The 2025 Formula 1 season has begun! Last Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix was an incredibly unpredictable and exciting race, one that will be remembered as a thrilling start to the season.

Melbourne was full of intrigue. The pre-season favorites showed their speed, all eyes were on prominent drivers in new teams, and a promising young talent started what could be a remarkable career.

As the teams leave Albert Park and head to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix, Laurence Edmondson and Nate Saunders share their initial, perhaps exaggerated, 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, his debut was somewhat underwhelming. Hamilton trailed teammate Charles Leclerc throughout the weekend and struggled to overtake slower cars during the race. Meanwhile, his former Mercedes teammate George Russell reached the podium, and Hamilton’s potential successor Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured 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 visibly happy since joining Ferrari, still seemed positive on Sunday evening, possibly relieved to have navigated a chaotic race.

The race was a learning experience for everyone. Team principal Frédéric Vasseur has indicated a review of Hamilton’s communication with his new race engineer. Hamilton has mentioned the significant adjustments needed moving from Mercedes to Ferrari, including adapting to different steering wheel controls and data analysis methods. The communication issues during the race highlighted the need for better synergy between Hamilton and the team.

Hamilton is a seven-time world champion, so the adaptation period excuse won’t last long. Being off the pace might already be unacceptable given his high standards.

Regarding the Mercedes/Ferrari comparison, unless Mercedes is contending for championships, their relative performance to Ferrari is less significant. Ferrari seemed to lose their way with the car setup during the weekend, believing they didn’t show their true potential. Mercedes appeared strong and adapted well to changing conditions. However, neither team seems to be a major threat to McLaren, at least at this early stage, and possibly throughout the season.

Hamilton’s move was about realizing a childhood dream with Ferrari. One disappointing result compared to Mercedes doesn’t change that. If Mercedes wins a title before Ferrari during his tenure, it might impact his legacy. But for now, it’s not a mistake. He promised Ferrari fans an exciting journey, and he’s still enjoying it. — Saunders

McLaren is Uncatchable This Year

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

Verdict: Overreaction

If every race were at Albert Park, McLaren might dominate both championships. However, the variety of circuits throughout the season will likely change the competitive order.

Ferrari initially looked like a strong challenger to McLaren in practice but struggled to adapt to changing conditions during the weekend. This could be due to a lack of complete understanding of their car. Ferrari also made significant car changes over the winter, which will naturally take time to optimize.

Furthermore, McLaren’s rivals believe their performance might decrease due to stricter bodywork flexibility tests coming soon. If so, even a dominant start could fade as the season progresses.

Last year, Red Bull seemed unbeatable, but they finished third in the constructors’ championship, with McLaren becoming the strongest overall team by mid-season. Drawing firm conclusions from one race in mixed conditions at a unique circuit is unreliable. — Edmondson

Red Bull Chose the Wrong Driver

Liam Lawson struggled in his Red Bull debut weekend, qualifying 18th and spinning out in the rain. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda from Racing Bulls stood out, qualifying sixth and likely would have finished higher than 12th if not for a weather misjudgment by his team.

Verdict: Not an Overreaction

The Australian race highlighted Red Bull’s driver issues. Max Verstappen excelled in all conditions, while his teammate seemed to be in a different category of car. Tsunoda performed brilliantly for Racing Bulls, exhibiting the confidence, speed, and consistency Red Bull desires in a driver alongside Verstappen. Yet, he remains outside the main team without clear justification from Red Bull.

This is not to criticize Lawson, who is talented. However, he was placed in a challenging position after limited experience with the junior team across two seasons. Like Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon before him, Lawson was promoted prematurely due to circumstances. It would be unfortunate if he struggled significantly alongside Verstappen. While Lawson impressed with aggressive racing last year, Tsunoda outperformed him as teammates in both 2023 and 2024.

Entering his fifth season, Tsunoda is now the most experienced driver from Red Bull’s junior program.

Lawson should improve at more familiar tracks, as he had never raced at Albert Park. His debut was tough to watch, and pressure will build if he doesn’t quickly improve. Lawson deserved a full year in the junior team to prove himself, just as Tsunoda deserves a chance in the top team. — Saunders

Antonelli Could Be the Next Verstappen

Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s drive from 16th to fourth was a race highlight. In very challenging debut conditions, Antonelli performed like a veteran, finishing just outside the podium.

Verdict: Not an Overreaction

Despite it being only one race and a qualifying mistake, Antonelli’s performance validated the hype around his rapid rise to F1 at 18. Top F1 drivers often excel in wet conditions, and Antonelli found grip in unexpected places at Albert Park and overtook more experienced drivers, reminiscent of Verstappen early in his career.

Mercedes’ strategic decisions helped, moving him from 10th to fifth during pit stops by mirroring Norris’ strategy. However, Antonelli’s driving performance should not be undermined. Among rookies, he appears destined for greatness. There’s good reason to be excited about his potential. — Edmondson

Alonso Isn’t the Same Driver Anymore

Fernando Alonso qualified just 0.081 seconds ahead of Lance Stroll and uncharacteristically spun out in worsening rain during the race. This unusual mistake for Alonso suggests that this season might be 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 exceptional drives have become less frequent. The gap to Stroll has narrowed, and his spin in the rain was a basic error, unexpected from someone considered one of F1’s most complete talents this century.

Deeper issues may be present. Alonso thrived in 2023 when Aston Martin briefly had a competitive car, but last year was challenging, and this year seems similar. Alonso is racing against time to get a competitive car again, and the strain is visible in his media interactions, which already seem weary and uninspired after just one race.

Hopefully, Adrian Newey’s recent arrival, primarily 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’s spin off track on lap 44 was difficult to watch, costing him significant positions. Perhaps it was the ‘Australian curse,’ preventing an Australian podium at home, but Piastri missed a major opportunity and is already 23 points behind Norris after one race.

Verdict: Overreaction

Albert Park’s conditions made the line between success and failure very thin. Norris admitted making the same mistake as Piastri on lap 44, showing how challenging it was in heavy rain at Turn 12. Norris recovered just in time for Turn 13, while Piastri ran out of track.

About 15 laps earlier, Piastri was closing on Norris and looked like the faster McLaren. Keen to secure a win with a large lead over Verstappen, McLaren arguably prevented Piastri’s best chance to win his home race by halting their fight.

Piastri’s qualifying was also positive. He often struggled to match Norris on Saturdays last year, but in Melbourne, he was just 0.084 seconds behind, a gap that can easily change. Sunday’s result will motivate Piastri to rebound quickly. — Edmondson

F1 Should Always Start the Season in Melbourne

Albert Park delivered a thrilling race, with changing weather challenging both rookies and champions. 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 permanently host the season opener. The atmosphere in Melbourne was incredible, with passionate local fans. Albert Park’s old-school circuit, with challenging corners and punishing gravel traps, contrasts with Bahrain’s large run-off areas, which has been the more recent season opener.

The weather was unpredictable, which has always made Melbourne a great and exciting F1 location. Even before the rain, the circuit challenged drivers like Haas rookie Oliver Bearman.

Bahrain is visually appealing at night, but Australia feels like a return to the early 2000s. Australia deserves this going forward. Piastri’s presence adds to the excitement, and his quest to break the Australian podium curse will be an ongoing 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. Carlos Sainz struggled in the conditions, but Williams and Racing Bulls appear to lead the midfield behind the top four teams. Williams is currently fourth in the standings.

Verdict: Not an Overreaction

After rebuilding for several seasons, Williams looks like a strong operation again. Sainz had a difficult weekend in Australia but is likely to recover in future races.

Williams’ pace is evident, and they now have two drivers capable of maximizing the car’s potential and pushing each other. With questions around Aston Martin and Alpine’s performance, Williams has an opportunity to achieve their best championship result since 2017 and finish fifth. — Edmondson

The Rookie Class Isn’t Ready

Every rookie struggled at some point during the weekend. Bearman had a tough practice. Isack Hadjar crashed before the race even started, and Jack Doohan spun out early in the race. Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto also went off track in the rain. Even Antonelli, despite his fourth-place finish, spun once. It seemed the rookies were not up to the challenge.

Verdict: Overreaction

This rookie class is well-prepared due to changes in testing rules. Several rookies, including Lawson, Bearman, and Doohan, already have F1 race starts, and all have benefited from practice sessions and testing opportunities. Esteban Ocon noted that current rookies have more relevant track time than previous generations.

Australia was an unusual race.

Modern F1 rain conditions are unique, with limited wet-weather testing outside of actual races. Even Hamilton joked about not knowing his Ferrari’s wet-weather tire button. Contributing to this verdict are experienced drivers like Sainz and Alonso also crashing in the rain.

Antonelli’s strong late-race performance, securing a memorable debut result, highlights the class’s potential. This group is talented enough to recover from a difficult first weekend and succeed this year. — Saunders