Liam Lawson’s Qualifying Nightmare in Melbourne Sparks Concerns as McLaren Dominates and Ferrari Falters
The 2025 Australian Grand Prix qualifying session delivered a rollercoaster of emotions at Albert Park, setting the stage for a dramatic season opener under looming rainy skies in Melbourne. McLaren lived up to their preseason hype by securing a commanding front-row lockout, with Lando Norris clinching pole position and Oscar Piastri a whisker behind in P2.
Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen defied expectations to grab P3, but his new teammate Liam Lawson endured a disastrous Q1 exit, raising alarm bells about his future with the team. Ferrari’s shocking lack of pace left Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton stranded in P7 and P8, while surprises from Williams and Racing Bulls added unexpected twists to an already chaotic grid. As the paddock braces for a wet race on Sunday, the fallout from Saturday’s session has left fans and teams alike buzzing with questions.
McLaren’s dominance was the headline of the day, confirming their status as the team to beat in 2025. Norris’s pole lap was a statement of intent, with Piastri’s near-identical time underscoring the MCL39’s blistering pace. The Woking squad’s one-two finish in qualifying positions them as favorites for the race, but with rain forecast for Sunday, their ability to manage strategy and tire wear in tricky conditions will be crucial. Piastri, racing on home soil, will be eager to capitalize on his strong starting position, potentially reigniting the intra-team battles we saw at Monza in 2024. For McLaren, this front-row lockout isn’t just a win—it’s a warning to the rest of the grid that they’re ready to fight for the championship.
Red Bull’s day was a tale of two extremes. Verstappen, despite admitting the RB21 lacked outright pace, pulled off a remarkable recovery to secure P3, showcasing why he remains a formidable force even without the fastest car. His performance offers hope for Red Bull, especially with rain playing into his hands—conditions where the Dutchman has historically excelled. However, the same can’t be said for Liam Lawson, whose qualifying debut as a full-time Red Bull driver turned into a nightmare. After missing FP3 due to reliability issues and struggling in the earlier sessions, Lawson went off track during Q1, costing him valuable lap time and resulting in an early exit.
Speaking after the session, the Kiwi driver admitted, “We expected the start to be tough… but going off on that second lap put everything out of order. Missing FP3 doesn’t help, but I shouldn’t be going off in quali.” His P18 starting position, coupled with Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda outqualifying him in P5, has fueled speculation about his future at Red Bull. With Helmut Marko reportedly labeling him a “B-class driver,” Lawson faces immense pressure to prove his worth in the race—or risk becoming “another Perez in disguise,” as some pundits have suggested.
Ferrari’s performance was another shocker, with Leclerc and Hamilton unable to break into the top six despite high expectations after testing and practice. The Scuderia’s P7 and P8 finishes were a far cry from their FP2 form, leaving them nearly a second off Norris’s pole time. Leclerc described the result as “the worst scenario” he could have imagined, hinting at setup issues that sapped their pace since Friday. Hamilton, in his first qualifying with Ferrari, remained diplomatic but acknowledged the steep learning curve. “Everything has been a first this weekend—my first practice sessions with Ferrari, my first qualifying,” he told Sky Sports F1. “The car is so different to what I’ve experienced in the past… I didn’t expect us to be eight-tenths off today, but there’s a lot to dissect.” With rain expected, Hamilton faces the added challenge of racing the SF-25 in the wet for the first time, admitting he needs to “study the rain settings tonight” to prepare for what could be a chaotic Sunday.
Amid the big names’ struggles, Williams emerged as a surprise package, with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz both reaching Q3—an achievement not seen at the team in a decade. Albon’s P6 and Sainz’s P10 grid slots signal a potential midfield resurgence for the Grove-based squad, who could capitalize on the forecasted rain to score valuable points. Racing Bulls also impressed, with Tsunoda’s P5 a standout result and rookie Isack Hadjar narrowly missing Q3 in P11. On the flip side, Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli joined Lawson in a Q1 exit after damaging his floor going wide at Turn 4, though teammate George Russell salvaged P4 to keep the Silver Arrows competitive.
As Melbourne gears up for a wet and wild race day, the grid promises unpredictability at every turn. McLaren’s pace looks unbeatable, but Verstappen’s wet-weather mastery could shake things up. For Lawson, a strong recovery is essential to silence the doubters, while Ferrari will hope the rain masks their lack of pace. With Williams and Racing Bulls lurking in the midfield, Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix could be a defining moment for the 2025 season—one where heroes are made, and dreams are tested under the stormy Melbourne sky.
