Australian GP: Oscar Piastri fastest in Practice Three as Lewis Hamilton only eighth ahead of qualifying | F1 News

Oscar Piastri topped final practice for McLaren at the Australian Grand Prix as Lewis Hamilton was only eighth ahead of his Ferrari qualifying debut.

The top teams appeared closely matched in the final 60 minutes of practice at the opening round of the Formula 1 season, but it was Piastri, seeking to win his home race for the first time, who topped the timesheet with a 1:15.921.

That put the Australian just 0.039s clear of Mercedes’ George Russell, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen also within a tenth of a second of the leading time for Red Bull.

Piastri’s team-mate Lando Norris also possessed strong pace but was only 10th after bailing out in the final sector of a lap that looked set to put him at least in the top three.

Ferrari had appeared on Friday to be McLaren’s most likely challengers but were out of sorts as Friday’s pace-setter Leclerc could only manage fourth, finishing 0.267s back from Piastri as he complained of too much oversteer.

Hamilton was less vocal over team radio but appeared to experience similar struggles as he blew a final qualifying simulation in the closing moments of the session with an error in the first sector, leaving the seven-time world champion almost half a second off the pace in eighth.

Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli – Hamilton’s replacement at Mercedes following his blockbuster move to Ferrari – produced a solid showing to claim fifth.

Williams cemented their status as the midfield squad most likely to challenge the established top four teams in qualifying as Carlos Sainz edged out team-mate Alex Albon for sixth.

While Verstappen, who is chasing a fifth successive drivers’ title, showed significant improvement having struggled on Friday, his new team-mate Liam Lawson was on track for just two laps before a power unit issue ended his session early.

British rookie Oliver Bearman continued a nightmare start to his first full season in F1 as a second accident in as many days left him hugely under prepared for qualifying.

Bearman, who missed all of second practice on Friday after damaging his car with a big crash in the opening session, this time spun his Haas into a gravel trap after dipping a wheel onto the grass on his approach to Turn 11.

While the car appeared to avoid any major damage from the incident and should be ready for qualifying, Bearman has been able to participate in just 40 minutes of the three hours of practice.

Sky Sports F1’s live Australian GP schedule

Saturday March 15

• 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 F1starting with the Australian GP on March 14-16. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime