Meanwhile, Max Verstappen looked as uncomfortable in his Red Bull as he did in pre-season testing in Bahrain, and was beaten by both Racing Bulls in FP2 after finishing fifth on the timesheets in FP1.

Formula 1 defending champion Max Verstappen downplayed Red Bull's chances at Sunday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix, saying the car is slower than their rivals and still working through some issues.

The 24-race, 2025 Formula One season begins with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne this weekend. McLaren and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen start their respective defences of the constructors’ and drivers’ championships, with two free-practice sessions today ahead of qualifying tomorrow. Today: FP1 (9:30pm ET), FP2 (1am ET).

Excitement is building for this season with at least four of the ten teams in serious contention for the Championship. The post F1 Australian Grand Prix 2025 preview: season-opener will reveal team strengths appeared first on The Manual.

With a Sky Sports subscription, you’ll be able to stream 2025 F1 F1 Australian Grand Prix online via Sky Go, and if you’re not in the UK right now you can use ExpressVPN to get around any geo-blocks. To watch the F1 on Sky (£22 per month):