The 2025 grid set for Australia

The 2025 Formula 1 season kicks off this weekend in Australia at the iconic Albert Park Circuit under immense anticipation and with numerous uncertainties lingering from the pre-season testing in Bahrain. While the competitive landscape may shift dramatically once the lights go out on Sunday and any resemblance to the desert testing may prove illusory, here are the key takeaways from pre-season: 

McLaren Emerges as the team to beat

Testing in Sakhir has produced a clear favourite for the start of the season: McLaren. The Woking-based team has demonstrated that the evolution of the MCL39 is on an upward trajectory, with its long-run performance proving superior to the rest of the field. Although neither Lando Norris nor Oscar Piastri set particularly eye-catching single-lap times, their consistency and race simulation pace have impressed the paddock.

With a car that has improved in aerodynamic stability and features a revised bodywork, McLaren appears well-positioned to start the year on top. The key question is how significant their advantage over rivals will be and whether they can maintain their dominance throughout the season. 

Red Bull and Ferrari: between doubt and hope

Red Bull arrives in Australia with mixed opinions surrounding its new RB21. While the energy drink-backed team seemed optimistic at the start of testing, they ended Friday with a more cautious outlook. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen has struggled to find the ideal setup, and although the car has shown improved stability, it still appears to be trailing McLaren.

Ferrari, meanwhile, remains something of an enigma. In Bahrain, they had sessions where they looked capable of fighting for victory, but at other times their performance was underwhelming. Lewis Hamilton, making his debut with the Italian outfit, was forced to abort a race simulation due to technical issues, although he showed encouraging signs in his initial laps with Ferrari. The Scuderia appears to have potential, but more work is needed to establish themselves as genuine title contenders.

Williams and the rookies impress

One of the standout teams of pre-season has been Williams. With a notable improvement in performance, the British squad has made it clear that they could regularly challenge for points. Carlos Sainz topped one of the test days, while Alex Albon also demonstrated strong pace over long runs.

Among the rookies, Kimi Antonelli and Ollie Bearman were the most impressive, displaying maturity and solid performances in their first outings in Formula 1 machinery. Even Jack Doohan and Gabriel Bortoleto managed to complete sessions effectively despite their teams’ limitations.

Aston Martin and the backmarker teams

Not all teams head to Melbourne with confidence. Aston Martin continues fighting with a challenging car, raising concerns about their early-season competitiveness. Their main hope lies in the arrival of the most successful and respected engineer in F1 history, Adrian Newey, who is set to join the team’s technical department this March. However, with 2025 being the final year under the current regulations and major changes unlikely, Newey is expected to focus on the 2026 car rather than attempting to salvage the AMR25. How much of an impact the aerodynamic genius will have remains an open question.

At the back of the grid, Sauber, Haas, Alpine and Racing Bulls appear destined to battle for the last positions. Sauber continues to show no real signs of improvement, while Racing Bulls have struggled to find their competitive edge. Alpine and Haas, on the other hand, seem locked in a tight contest for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.

Las nuevas regulaciones y el debate de los alerones flexibles

Más allá de la lucha en pista, la temporada 2025 arranca con la polémica de la nueva normativa sobre los alerones flexibles. La temporada pasada, estas piezas aerodinámicas dieron mucho que hablar, no sólo por el llamado "mini-DRS" de McLaren, sino también por la flexión de los alerones delanteros en toda la parrilla. Así, los coches estaban mejor equilibrados reduciendo el subviraje en las curvas lentas y el sobreviraje en las rápidas. A partir de Australia, la FIA utilizará pruebas estáticas más estrictas para comprobar la deflexión de las alas traseras, mientras que el control sobre los alerones delanteros entrará en vigor en el GP de España. Esto ha generado opiniones divididas en el paddock, con algunos equipos preocupados por el impacto que estos cambios tendrán en su rendimiento.

Con todas estas incógnitas y con McLaren partiendo como el equipo a batir, la Fórmula 1 llega a Australia con una temporada llena de promesas y emoción por delante. La gran pregunta es si Red Bull y Ferrari podrán desafiar la supremacía de los de Woking o si habrá alguna sorpresa en la primera carrera del año. Lo empezaremos a descurbir a partir del próximo domingo.