McLaren was impressive during the opening qualifying session of the season. Lando Norris beat teammate Oscar Piastri to pole position to lock out the front row. They had a large advantage over third-placed Max Verstappen as they looked to dominate the curtain-raiser.
McLaren looked good on their long run pace in pre-season testing and carried that over into the practice sessions. It looks ominous for the rest of the grid as they play catch-up. Mercedes driver George Russell believes McLaren is already in a prime position to win the 2025 championship.
George Russell thinks McLaren is in pole position for 2025 title
After just the first qualifying session of the year, George Russell says that McLaren are already the favourite to retain the title this season. Pole sitter Lando Norris was just under four tenths faster than Max Verstappen in third. This dominating performance for McLaren is a large margin to catch up and overtake.
Australian GP Preview: Can McLaren Pick Up Where They Left Off?
Russell thinks the gap will be too big to catch, so McLaren can start focusing on their 2026 car. He said, “They’re at such an advantage because they can fully focus on 2026. McLaren are in prime position for now and the future.”
If the MCL39 is strong enough for the 2025 season, they can focus towards the 2026 car. The 2026 has a raft of major regulation changes which will reshape the current crop of cars. McLaren can get a head start on other teams as their rivals play catch-up.
However, there is hope for teams. Last season, Red Bull were a dominant force for the first section of the season. This was until the Miami GP when McLaren brought upgrades which boosted performance. From that race on, the Woking-based outfit generally had the fastest car. Rivals must hope they can bring updates which can topple the Papaya domination.
Will McLaren dominate the Australian GP?
McLaren had a massive advantage of the field during qualifying, and it looks like the Papaya team has the pace on the long runs. During pre-season testing, the Woking-based team had a three-tenths advantage over their rivals. The pace hasn’t dropped away during practice, and it looks as if Norris and Piastri will battle it out for the win.
However, this is only if the race stays dry. The forecast is for a wet race, which would level the field. The Papaya team would lose its big advantage, and rain masters like Max Verstappen and Hamilton are in a prime position to take advantage.
Thunderstorm Warning Prompts FIA to Re-evaluate Australian GP Start Time
If the wet conditions hit the track, there is nothing straightforward about a race weekend. F1 cars are designed to perform at their optimum in the dry, so rain reduces the car’s mechanical grip. Last season in Brazil, McLaren and their drivers struggled in the changeable conditions. The pitwall made the wrong calls of when to pit, and Norris made mistakes which cost him places.
If the rain does hit, who is in the best position for this season’s curtain raiser? Leave your comments below.
