The key strategy information for following the 2025 Australian Grand Prix – RaceFans

RaceFansAdvert | Go ad-free15th March 2025, 17:3415th March 2025, 17:34 | Written by Keith CollantineThe first grand prix of 2025 is almost upon us. Here’s the key information for the Australian Grand Prix.
Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free

In the days leading up to the grand prix weather forecasts have consistently indicated a high probability of showers throughout the day. The grand prix is due to start at 3pm local time and as yet there is no indication that will change.Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-freeTherefore, depending on how much rain falls and when it does, the track conditions are hard to predict. Very wet conditions could lead to a rolling start or a delay. Teams will have to be on their toes as the FIA has revised these regulations during the off-season following confusion at recent races.Sunday will also be significantly cooler. Ambient temperatures reached around 33C during qualifying, but are expected to be around 10C lower during the race.The run to turn one often presents one of the best opportunities for drivers to gain places. The distance to the first corner at Albert Park is not among the shortest on the F1 calendar, but nor is it one of the easiest for drivers to make up places:Distance from pole position to first braking zone. Source: MercedesLast year pole winner Max Verstappen kept his lead at the start. However the year before that he lost the lead to George Russell, who started second. Lando Norris, who took pole position during qualifying today, had a poor record of keeping his lead at the start last year.Another feature of starts at Melbourne is the sharp right-left combination the drivers tackle first can contribute to collisions, notably during the late standing restart in 2023.Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-freeLast year drivers chose the following compounds to start the race on:Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-freeThe drivers have the following sets of dry weather tyres available for the grand prix:>> Find out more and sign upLast year Carlos Sainz Jnr won the race with a two-stop strategy, using two sets of hard tyres after starting on the medium rubber. Every driver who finished in the top 11 places used the same strategy, with two exceptions: Alonso and Hulkenberg, who started on hards and ran mediums in their middle stint before switching back to hards.This year Pirelli believes a one-stop strategy is possible. However the forecast of rain means dry weather tyre strategies are unlikely to feature.Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-freeMelbourne tends to see disrupted racesAlbert Park has four DRS zones but only two detection points, so getting within range once allows a driver to open their rear wing in the next two zones. The configuration is unchanged from last year.The parkland circuit has limited run-off space which makes Safety Car periods and suspensions fairly common. Last year the Virtual Safety Car was used twice. That likelihood will influence teams’ strategies and incline them towards delaying tyre changes in the hope of catching a lucky break and being able to pit during a Safety Car period or similar.The changes to the gravel trap at turn six could have a bearing on how many interruptions we see. It now extends up to the edge of the kerb, and throughout practice drivers have run into it, dragging gravel onto the circuit. That could create an additional hazard during the race.The grid for this year’s race is as follows. Any changes between now and the start of the race will be added here:Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and go ad-freeWho’s your pick to win in Melbourne? Share your views on the Australian Grand Prix in the comments.Get a daily email with all our latest stories – and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:“Are we still holding?” Unheard radio shows Piastri’s impatience with team ordersWho got the crucial pit call right – and wrong – in Melbourne? Race data analysis“It feels terrible”: F1’s four rookies explain crashes after tough Australian GPTorque spike or ‘black line’? Teams’ competing explanations for Sainz’s crashVerstappen’s record-breaking championship-leading streak is overBrowse all 2025 Australian Grand Prix articlesGot a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.
Patrick (@paeschli) 15th March 2025, 18:42 When was the last wet face at Albert Park?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) 15th March 2025, 19:28 Sainz, last year.
cdavman (@cdavman) 15th March 2025, 19:12 So neither Ferrari driver has any new dry tyres left at all…Seems very much like Ferrari have banked on a wet race.
El Pollo Loco 15th March 2025, 20:39 Both Lewis and Leclerc have new mediums. I think RaceFans just made a mistake.
Jere (@jerejj) 16th March 2025, 1:15 El Pollo Loco No, both indeed have only a single medium set each, which is slightly used (presumably one installation lap).
El Pollo Loco 15th March 2025, 20:33 We must assume AMR has a new set of hard and medium tires, but they’re listed as used because of their usual scrub procedure.
Jere (@jerejj) 16th March 2025, 1:15 El Pollo Loco Indeed
El Pollo Loco 15th March 2025, 20:44 BTW, it’d be useful if the wet weather tire allotments were listed.
Connor Edwards 15th March 2025, 21:13 3 sets of wets and 4 sets of inters, its like that for everyrace.
Jere (@jerejj) 16th March 2025, 1:17 The weather forecast will probably make some info here a mull point, especially remaining dry sets & DRS zone aspect, but I still hope for an exciting opening race.
El Pollo Loco 16th March 2025, 2:55 They red flagged F2 despite the conditions being totally runnable. It was a really pathetic sight.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai) 16th March 2025, 1:29 Well Supercarrs red flagged then abandoned “rivers of water”.
F2 just this minute running behind safety car (if you can see them) then also red flagged.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage- Special Unhinged Edition (@davedai) 16th March 2025, 1:32 F2 now also abandoned.Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *All comments are moderated. See the Comment Policy and FAQ for more.If the person you’re replying to is a registered user you can notify them of your reply using ‘@username’.Name *
Email *
Website

ΔName * Email * Website

Δ© 2024 Collantine Media Ltd | About RaceFans | Change consent

Source: https://www.racefans.net/2025/03/15/essential-strategy-data-for-following-the-2025-australian-grand-prix/