- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 392,496
- Reaction score
- 43
You must be registered for see images attach
Rookie Isack Hadjar did not even manage to register a first grand prix start after crashing out on the formation lap - Mark Thompson/Getty Images
The first race of the 2025 Formula One season delivered on the significant pre-season hype. Lando Norris emerged victorious in the rain to take victory in a dramatic and crash-strewn Australian Grand Prix.
That was just one part of the story, though, as conditions proved too tricky for plenty of F1’s rookies, as well as some of the more seasoned heads.
Telegraph Sport breaks down the biggest thrills, spills and crashes from a dramatic afternoon at Albert Park.
Formation lap – Hadjar crashes
Isack Hadjar had qualified a strong 11th for Racing Bulls on his debut grand prix. Yet he did not even manage to register a first grand prix start after losing the rear end of his car when putting the power down at turn two on the formation lap. He went backwards into the barriers and out of the race, his rear wing dislodged.
ABORTED START!
Isack Hadjar crashes on the formation lap pic.twitter.com/6I9ODvOUG9
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 16, 2025
It was an aborted start not just for the other 19 drivers but also his own Formula One career.
“Just embarrassed and sorry for the team. I just overdid it, over slipped the rears and once I lost the car, tried to save it, I was just a passenger. It snapped so fast. I didn’t expect it,” he said afterwards.
A beautiful moment between Anthony Hamilton and Isack Hadjar as he comforts the rookie after his crashpic.twitter.com/y3EhLDfsW5
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 16, 2025
Lap 1 – Doohan wrecks his Alpine
The race gets under way after a 15-minute delay, but unfortunately for home rookie Jack Doohan conditions are still damp and treacherous. His race lasts just a handful of corners. On the exit of turn four, the rear end of the Alpine steps out and goes sideways into the barriers, his rear wing becoming totally detached, putting him out of the race and bringing out the Safety Car.
Lap 1 – Sainz crashes out under the SC
With Williams looking strong in the season opener, Carlos Sainz would have had hopes of a points finish. There was to be no such luck for last year’s Australian GP winner, though, as a bizarre spin at the final corner under safety car conditions makes him the third retiree with not even one lap finished.
“I had like a massive torque surge,” the Spaniard said after he went sideways into the barriers. Sainz later said that the unusual crash was related to an issue – whether with the car or his familiarity with it – with the up shifts in the FW47 when in Safety Car Mode. A second embarrassing accident of the race.
Lap 33 of 57 – A rare mistake from Alonso
There was a relatively sedate period of the race where McLaren had driven into a position of dominance at the front ahead of Max Verstappen, who was more than 10 seconds behind. The track had dried out somewhat but a rare mistake from Fernando Alonso throws the result up in the air again.
The accident as he exited turn six was similar to the others and came after putting the power down on exit of the corner. It was an uncharacteristic error for a usually flawless driver with more than 400 races of experience. Dipping his left tyres on to a wet kerb and perhaps partly into the gravel ultimately did for the Aston Martin driver, sending him into the wall. It also brought out another Safety Car, allowing most of the field to pit for slick tyres.
SAFETY CAR!
Fernando Alonso finds the barriers and everyone scrambles for the pits! pic.twitter.com/FBvAZz7zQj
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 16, 2025
Lap 44 of 57 – Piastri spins and Norris runs off track
With the rain intensifying, both McLarens are caught out at turn 12. Leader Norris first runs wide and into the gravel but his team-mate Oscar Piastri goes wider and deeper. They both recover to the tarmac and heading in the right direction, yet while Norris is a little twitchy at turn 13, Piastri spins onto the grass run-off. Norris recovers back to the pit-lane to switch to intermediate tyres. That hands the lead to Max Verstappen, who had closed up after the recent Safety Car.
For a while it looks like Piastri’s race is over but after an agonising wait he manages to engage reverse – to the crowd’s delight – and drive to the pit lane to switch to intermediate tyres. However, he has dropped to near the back of the field.
Lap 46 of 57 – Ferrari’s gamble backfires
Ferrari had advised both their drivers that the rain would not be too intense nor comprehensive. They are soon proved wrong, yet somehow decide to keep both of their drivers out on dry tyres after leader Verstappen pits.
For a while they are first and second, led by Hamilton, but by the end of the next lap they are engulfed first by a downpour and then by the chasing pack when it becomes clear that dry tyres were a disastrous choice in heavy rain. They both pit and drop back to the rear end of the points.
Hamilton is unhappy in the car first – “We said it wasn’t going to rain much. We just missed a big opportunity there” – and later after the race – criticising the guidance Ferrari offered him on the rain.
Lap 47 of 57 – Two more rookie crashes
Liam Lawson’s Red Bull debut ends disastrously, becoming the latest victim of the slippery conditions. The Kiwi has a tank-slapper at the first corner and crashes into the barriers on the outside of the track. Gabriel Bortoleto, on debut for Sauber, does similar at the penultimate turn. They become the third and fourth of the six rookies to crash out at Albert Park.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.ANOTHER SAFETY CAR IN MELBOURNE
Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto crash out in the tricky conditions ️ pic.twitter.com/RbqGVTYRVw
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 16, 2025
Continue reading...
