F1 Australian GP LIVE: Race updates with rain to cause chaos on Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut

Even before the lights have gone out, RB’s Hadjar slides off track — a rough start to his F1 debut. The race start is aborted as the expected chaos rings true in the formation lap.

​​The drivers take to the track for the formation lap ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. Buckle in for a chaotic start to 2025 Formula 1 season.

Alex Albon called the conditions “oily” and “unbelievably slippery” before he jumped in the car. Teams, like Red Bull, have already changed tyre strategies while on the grid — opting for inters.

Red Bull newbie Liam Lawson will also take a pit lane start and the team has opted to go for a wet set-up for the New Zealand-born driver.

Australian drivers Piastri and Doohan spoke ahead of the race weekend on performing in their home country:

Doohan: “[My goal is] to enjoy. Enjoy each time I’m on track, because number one, that’s why I’m here, because I enjoy what I do. And to work hard with the team, ensure that we extracted everything we could from Bahrain pre-season testing and put that into play for this weekend and then deliver on track, whatever the car’s potential.”

Piastri: “I think this is the most relaxed I’ve been at my home race. The first two years, especially the first year I came here, it was an overwhelming experience. Even last year, it was still a pretty big experience. This year, I’ve been able to enjoy it more. Maybe because I’m more confident in the car under me, but I’ve really been enjoying it and enjoying the support. I feel like it’s gone up a little since last year as well. It’s amazing what happens when you start winning stuff. No, it’s great to have all the home support, and I really appreciate it.”

The official headcount for the 2025 Australian Grand Prix race day is 131,547. However, it is the total estimated weekend crowd count that really matters: 465,498 fans watching the start of what has been deemed the closest Formula 1 season in history.

The estimated attendance is the highest on record in Melbourne, and is higher than the last year’s total — then-record — by 13,443.

With just under 30 minutes until engines turn over, the cars are lining up on a damp grid after getting a feel for the track.

The Mercedes are first out on the track and all 20 drivers are eager to test the conditions and limits of the circuit in this windy and wet weather.

Only two teams carry over their existing driver lineup into 2025 — McLaren and Aston Martin. Several of Formula 1’s familiar faces switched teams:

• Hulkenberg from Haas to Kick Sauber
• Ocon from Alpine to Haas
• Sainz from Ferrari to Williams
• Hamilton from Mercedes to Ferrari

Haas rookie Oliver Bearman has had a rough weekend so far. The British driver, who stunned with his stand-in performances for both Ferrari and Haas last season, crashed heavily in FP1, missed out on FP2 and then only made it two laps before ending his FP3 run with a spin.

Qualifying didn’t treat him much better when he failed to get a single lap in all thanks to a gearbox issue.

He will start the grand prix from the pit lane because of the car’s suspension being changed.