Australian Grand Prix – Formula One: Live leaderboard and lap-by-lap updates as weather chaos threatens to cause havoc on F1 opener, as F2 feature race is CALLED OFF

By ED CARRUTHERS

Published: 01:15 GMT, 16 March 2025 | Updated: 03:35 GMT, 16 March 2025

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Follow Mail Sport’s live blog for the latest leaderboard standings and lap-by-lap updates in the 2025 Australian Grand Prix.

Weather chaos causes F2 cancellation!

I’m just watching Sky Sports’ pre-race coverage and the broadcasters are fighting to stay standing up! Martin Brundle

We’re bracing for what’s set to be a very wet and wild race, with rain expected to fall on Albert Park for the next four hours.

It comes after the F2 feature race ahead of this year’s Australian Grand Prix was cancelled due to the torrential conditions.

The race was scheduled to start at 11.30, but with large puddles forming on the track, the race was delayed.

A ‘track clear’ message came at 11.54 and a formation lap took place.

But with the field gathering behind the safety car race bosses were forced to call off the race due to the torrential weather.

Meanwhile, Ted Kravitz in the pit lane has given us his thoughts on the conditions, stating: ‘This could not be more difficult conditions for the first race of the year.’

‘It’s possible for a safety car start,’ he added.

The visibility out there looks awful with cars spraying water up behind them from the track.

If this rain keeps falling it could mean we’ll have a stop-start race.

Brown predicts a rolling safety car start

Zak Brown believes we could have a rolling safety car start here.

The McLaren boss though believes that visibility should clear up later on in the race, while revealing Lando Norris’ tyre selection.

‘Lando’s just gone out on some intermediates,’ Brown told Sky Sports.

‘They know what to do here, I imagine this will be a rolling safety car start with how bad the visibility is,’

The final grid… and Hamilton’s startling admission…

Lando Norris has beaten Max Verstappen to start on pole this morning, while his team-mate Oscar Piastri takes second place.

Piastri could today become the first Australian to win on home soil in Melbourne since Alan Jones back in 1980!

Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, got off to a disappointing start on his Ferrari debut, placing eighth having made the startling admission that he didn’t know where the ‘wet button’ was in his new Ferrari!

Hamilton said: ‘I have never driven the car in the wet. I don’t even know where the wet switch is. I don’t know which buttons I have got to switch so that is going to be new. We are using Brembo brakes, which I have not used since I was much younger.’

Your ULTIMATE guide to the F1 season

Feeling a bit lost with all the new faces? Disoriented by the fact Max Verstappen might not actually win? Or maybe you haven’t tuned in since the days of Adrian Sutil and Rubens Barrichello and need a major overhaul of your F1 knowledge. ‘Who’s Max Verstappen?’

Wherever you stand, we hope this guide is useful with getting to grips with the new campaign. I, for one, can’t wait.

F1 is back!

It’s back and we’re very excited for what’s set to be one of the most competitive Formula One seasons on record!

It’s also the first time since 2019 that the race has been held in Melbourne and the main talking point this morning has been the weather!

The rain has been pouring down on the track this morning meaning we’re set to have some very slippery conditions out there today.

And over the next four hours it looks like the rain isn’t going to hold off, with moderate winds also expected.

Meanwhile, the drivers have got their coats on and have stopped on the starting grid to pose for a quick snap!

The grid

Here’s how we line up today.

McLaren are the only team on the grid who have achieved a sense of strong consistency, lining up on the front row.

Lewis Hamilton admitted he doesn’t even know where the wet switch is in his Ferrari after chuntering to eighth, so he’ll be hoping for a dry session. Unfortunately for him, rain is forecasted for this one, so he best get learning quickly! He sitsjust behind Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc.

Not a great start to the season for Haas, who prop up the grid with their new-look line-up of Esteban Ocon and Ollie Bearman.

Welcome to another season of F1!

Lights out and away we go! Well, sort of. In a few hours, at least.

It’s good to back, isn’t it? The three months of effort since the Abu Dhabi GP in early December have been leading up to this.

Lando Norris claimed the victory on that day as McLaren lifted the Constructors’ Championship, and it is Mr Norris who is tipped for glory this season – though Max Verstappen will have a lot to say about that as he hunts for a fifth consecutive drivers’ title.

Norris and his team-mate Oscar Piastri lock out the front row going into today. Stay with us for all the build-up, action, and reaction. Things could get tasty, fast. Like, 200mph fast.

Key Updates

• Weather chaos causes F2 cancellation!

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• Welcome to another season of F1!

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Australian Grand Prix – Formula One: Live leaderboard and lap-by-lap updates as weather chaos threatens to cause havoc on F1 opener, as F2 feature race is CALLED OFF

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