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Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton struggles to fifth in Australian GP practice debut.
Ferrari’s high-profile signing Lewis Lewis Hamilton endured a challenging start to his tenure with the Italian outfit, finishing fifth in the first practice for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The seven-time world champion, who made the seismic switch from Mercedes to Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season, found himself trailing his new team-mate Charles Leclerc, who topped the timesheets at Albert Park.
Hamilton’s much-anticipated debut for Ferrari did not go as smoothly as many had hoped.
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The 40-year-old British star was initially left languishing in 12th during the first practice session, struggling to turn the car effectively.
However, he made significant improvements in the second session, climbing to fifth place but still ending up 0.420 seconds adrift of Leclerc.
Despite the underwhelming start, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur remains confident in Hamilton’s ability to adapt and deliver.
“You can't draw a conclusion after the first practice session,” Vasseur said, per The Standard.
“I have absolutely no doubt Lewis will be able to perform and perform soon. We have something like 150 practice sessions over the year, so this is just the beginning of the story.”
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Hamilton himself acknowledged the challenges of adjusting to a new car and team.
Speaking after the second session, Hamilton admitted via Sky Sports: “Everything is so different from what I've been used to for so long, but that's the challenge and I'm embracing it. We were not completely satisfied with first practice, but we made some good progress.”
McLaren and Ferrari set the early pace despite Hamilton struggles
Pre-season testing in Bahrain suggested that McLaren and Ferrari would be the teams to beat in the early stages of the 2025 season, and Friday’s practice results in Melbourne did little to dispel that notion.
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Leclerc led the session with a strong performance, closely followed by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who finished just 0.124 seconds behind.
Piastri’s team-mate, Lando Norris, who has been tipped as a pre-season championship contender, ended the second session in third place, only 0.141 seconds adrift.
Meanwhile, four-time defending champion Max Verstappen struggled to find his rhythm in his Red Bull.
The Dutchman, aiming for a fifth consecutive title, could only manage sixth place, finishing 0.624 seconds off Leclerc’s time.
His new team-mate, Liam Lawson, had an even tougher outing, languishing in 17th.
Elsewhere, Mercedes endured a mixed session, with George Russell finishing 10th, while highly-rated rookie Kimi Antonelli managed only 16th.
British teenager Ollie Bearman had a frustrating day, as he crashed out of the opening session and was unable to take part in the second.
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The 19-year-old lost control at Turn 10, running through the gravel before slamming into the wall, damaging his Haas beyond immediate repair.
“I am sorry,” Bearman said over the radio after the crash, per BBC Sport.
As the season opener in Melbourne continues to unfold, Ferrari will be hoping that Hamilton can quickly find his footing in the SF-25.
With high expectations surrounding his move, the pressure is on for the Briton to turn practice struggles into race-day triumphs.
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