Lewis Hamilton says he is “slowly building” in his new Ferrari and getting faster “bit by bit” ahead of Australian GP Qualifying, after finishing fifth-fastest in Friday practice on an opening day to F1 2025 headed by team-mate Charles Leclerc.
But the seven-time world champion suspects it may be a “little bit early” for him to challenge for a maiden pole position in red for his new team as he has still “got some pace to find” in the car.
Hamilton’s first race weekend as a Ferrari driver at F1’s 2025 season-opener in Melbourne has been highly anticipated around the sport for months, with the Briton himself saying on Thursday that he was currently in the “most exciting period of my life”.
Hitting a sun-kissed Albert Park track in Ferrari’s SF-25 car for the first time on Friday, Hamilton opened his debut weekend in red by finishing 12th-fastest in the opening practice sessions, six tenths away from new team-mate Leclerc who took third.
In an early-season boost for Ferrari, Leclerc then outpaced title favourites McLaren in the more representative second session with Hamilton this time finishing slightly closer to the sister car, albeit still four tenths back in fifth place and clearly with more pace still to find.
“It’s (been) a super exciting build-up to this week and it felt amazing to get out there and be in a Ferrari here,” said Hamilton after second practice.
Sky Sports News’ Craig Slater analyses how Lewis Hamilton’s first practice sessions as a Ferrari driver went at the Australian Grand Prix
“Honestly, the car felt so much different to what I’ve ever experienced coming to this track, so it took a little bit of bedding in through P1.
“P2 was definitely a littler better but just building. We’re slowly building and getting a little bit faster bit by bit.”
Hamilton is the record eight-time polesitter at Albert Park but, asked if he was allowing himself to dream of a debut timesheet-topping performance on Saturday at 5am, he conceded: “For me I think it’s a little bit early as I continue to just get to learn the car – but never say never.
“I’ll still give it everything I’ve got. Just not putting too much pressure on it, just going to try and enjoy it. I’ve got some pace to find, I know where I’ve got to find it, just about going out and doing it. But just building.”
Hamilton has already spoken about how different the experience of driving a Ferrari is compared with a Mercedes, whose works team he had driven for since 2013 and whose engines have powered his entire F1 career before this year.
Asked how the SF-25 differed to other cars he had driven around Albert Park, Hamilton said: “Just different, just a lot different.
“But the car doesn’t feel bad or anything, it just requires a different way of driving. So, adjusting my driving style bit by bit, but enjoying driving.”
Leclerc: Ferrari ‘much better’ compared to testing – and will target pole
Sky Sports Formula 1 pundits David Croft and Karun Chandhok reflect on a day of Practice in Melbourne.
While Hamilton may still be bedding into his new team and machinery just seven weeks after starting work at the Prancing Horse, Leclerc appeared to hit the ground running at the start of his seventh season at Ferrari.
The Monegasque outpaced the McLarens, the pre-season title favourites, by just over a tenth of a second and appeared in tune with the SF-25 around the tricky Albert Park layout.
“Obviously we did good preparation work,” said Leclerc. “There are things we need to improve as always, and I’m not very happy with the balance yet, but we’re in a much better place compared to Bahrain testing and there’s a lot of performance to find.
“But that’s the same for everyone in the paddock. Those cars are pretty new for everyone so you’ve got to push it to understand where exactly is the limit. But it has been a solid first day and we need to wait and see how it goes [on Saturday] when we push a bit more.”
Highlights from Friday’s practice sessions at the Australian Grand Prix.
Asked to assess the competitive picture between the big four teams, Leclerc added: “I don’t know for now, it’s too early to say, I don’t think we have seen the real pace of everybody yet and some teams might hide their game a bit more than others.
“But for sure McLaren is up there. I think Red Bull might be struggling a little bit more for now but you never know with them and, especially with Max [Verstappen], you can never really rule them out. So I’m sure they will be in the fight, and Mercedes look strong as well, so it’s going to be a good fight.”
But while Leclerc stressed he was staying “cautious” about Ferrari’s prospects heading into the year’s first Qualifying – which will give 2025’s first true picture of the pecking order on absolute low fuel – he did concede that “it’s right to say that after a day like this we are looking forward to [Qualifying] and we want to try to target pole position”.
Sky Sports F1’s live Australian GP schedule
Strategy analyst and former Aston Martin Head of Strategy Bernie Collins breaks down your best chances of winning the opening race of the F1 calendar, the Australian Grand Prix
Saturday March 15
- 12.10am: F3 Sprint*
- 1.10am: Australian GP Practice Three (session begins at 1.30am)*
- 3.10am: F2 Sprint*
- 4.15am: Australian GP Qualifying build-up*
- 5am: AUSTRALIAN GP QUALIFYING*
- 7am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
- 7.30am: Australian GP Qualifying Replay* (9am on Sky Showcase)
- 9.55pm: F3 Feature Race*
Sunday March 16
- 12.25am: F2 Feature Race*
- 2.30am: Australian GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
- 4am: THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX*
- 6am: Australian GP reaction: Chequered Flag*
- 7am: Ted’s Notebook*
- 7.55am: Australian GP race replay
- 10am: Australian GP highlights (also on Sky Showcase)
- 7pm: Villeneuve Pironi – Racing’s Untold Tragedy
*Also on Sky Sports Main Event
Watch all 24 race weekends from the 2025 Formula 1 season live on Sky Sports F1, starting with the Australian GP this weekend. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime
