14/03/2025
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's second session, the air temperature is 25 degrees C, while the track temperature is 44 degrees. It is bright and sunny.
In terms of updates, McLaren has a revised Front Corner and Beam Wing, while Ferrari has a new Front Suspension, Sidepod Inlet/Engine cover and Rear Wing/Beam Wing.
Red Bull has gone the whole hog, with a new Front Wing, Nose, Front Suspension, Floor Body, Floor Fences, Floor Edge, Coke/Engine Cover, Cooling Louvres, Rear
Suspension, Beam Wing, Rear Wing and Rear Wing Endplate.
Mercedes has a revised Sidepod Inlet, Floor Body, Coke/Engine Cover, Beam Wing, Front Suspension and Rear Wing, while Aston Martin has a new (deep breath) Nose, Front Wing, Front Corner, Sidepod Inlet, Coke/Engine
Cover, Cooling Louvres, Floor Body, Floor Fences, Rear Suspension, Rear Corner, Beam Wing and Rear Wing.
Alpine has a revised Sidepod Inlet, Coke/Engine Cover, Floor Body, Rear Corner, Rear Wing and Rear Suspension, and Haas a revised Front Wing Endplate, Front Wing, Sidepod Inlet, Floor Body, Floor Fences, Floor Edge, Coke/Engine Cover, Rear Wing Endplate, Beam Wing, Front Suspension, Front Corner, Rear Suspension and Rear Corner.
RB has new Sidepods, Front Wing and Front Suspension, while Williams has new Cooling Louvres, Coke/Engine Cover, Front Wing Endplate, Front Wing and Coke/Engine Cover.
Finally, Stake has a new Coke/Engine Cover, Floor Body, Front Wing, Rear Wing, Front Corner and Rear Corner.
Lando Norris was quickest earlier, ahead of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, while Oliver Bearman crashed out. The Briton, who was unhurt, unlike his car, caused the second red flag of the session, Jack Doohan having caused the first when he ran wide and deposited gravel on the track.
Ahead of the green light, the Haas crew are still working on Bearman's car, which required a new engine and gearbox.
Bortoleto is first out, followed by Gasly, Hadjar, Tsunoda and Alonso. In a bid to pass Lawson as he leaves the pitlane, Norris takes to the grass, such is his enthusiasm.
Shortly after, the second McLaren uses Lawson's Red Bull for a tow down the back end of the circuit.
Most are on mediums though the Mercedes pair are on hards.
Bortoleto posts a 20.323 but Gasly responds with a 19.146.
Proving that his pace in FP1 was no fluke, Sainz goes quickest with a 17.302, ahead of Russell, Norris, Piastri and Albon.
Leclerc complains that Lawson is "blocking everybody", as Gasly runs wide in Turn 3.
"I can't brake," complains the Frenchman as Hamilton improves to third with a 17.409.
Leclerc is the first driver to break into the 1:16s, the Monegasque posting a 16.794.
With around 40 minutes remaining there is a lull with just Lawson on track.
Hamilton improves to second with a 17.194, albeit 0.4s off his teammate's pace.
Russell and Norris head out on softs, as others also switch to the red-banded rubber.
Quickest in S1, Norris fails to improves following a poor final sector.
No such issues for Tsunoda who goes quickest with a 16.784. Stroll goes fourth ahead of Russell and Sainz.
Norris goes quickest with a 16.580 while his teammate can only manage fourth (16.983).
Verstappen runs wide after suffering understeer.
Leclerc stops the clock at 16.439, 0.141s up on Norris' best.
Lawson can only manage 16th (17.640), while Piastri goes second with a 16.563, 0.124s down on Leclerc.
"Please check the floor, I bottomed a bit in Turn 10," warns Doohan.
"The car is doing its thing, drivers look comfortable," says Zak Brown. "I still think we can improve the car, everyone is still learning as we are.
"We are doing our usual thing on a Friday just trying to understand the car, but it is going to be tight, that is what we have predicted. So, it will be exciting.
"Sunday will be rain, rain, rain," he admits. "Could rain all day, rain will be puddling. Definitely have to think on Saturday what Sunday is going to look like."
Though we have yet to see Bearman, his teammate (Hulkenberg) goes eighth with a 17.161.
Currently seventh, the RB21 appears to be a bit of a handful, Red Bull showing no sign of having cured the issues encountered in testing. Verstappen's car is currently up on its stand as his crew make set-up changes.
Both RB drivers encountering rear brake issues.
As was the case in pre-season testing, Lawson's race sim sees him almost a second off the pace.
With 5 minutes remaining there are 19 drivers on track. All on mediums bar Gasly (softs) and the Mercedes pair who are on hards.
A lock-up for Russell who runs wide in Turn 13.
Despite their hard work, and the fact that he has his helmet on, it doesn't look as though we'll be seeing Bearman on track until tomorrow.
Indeed, the session ends with the Briton having failed to make an appearance.
Incredibly, both Williams drivers have posted exactly the same time.
Leclerc is quickest, ahead of Piastri, Norris, Tsunoda, Hamilton, Hadjar, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Stroll and Russell.
Sainz is eleventh, ahead of Albon, Alonso, Doohan, Gasly, Antonelli, Lawson, Botoleto and Ocon.
Ferrari and McLaren are looking good, Red Bull not so, while Mercedes remains a bit of a mystery. Williams has impressed, certainly in the earlier session, as have the RBs and even Aston Martin is looking better than expected.
However, despite what happens tomorrow, let's not forget the fact that Sunday is almost certain to be wet, very wet.
Check out our Friday gallery from Albert Park here.