The mud has settled on and we have now now had a great take a look at Components One’s 10 groups. With that in thoughts we provide our evaluation of how the groups must be feeling after their first actual check of 2025.
We are able to take a look at the headline lap occasions and standings to see how briskly every staff is. That is extra a rating of how glad every staff must be, making an allowance for their progress in addition to expectations.
We thought-about a number of components. One, a staff’s qualifying efficiency or their ‘uncooked tempo score’, expressed a share of the general quickest lap time of qualifying – the decrease the higher. Two, their race performances in comparison with the race on the similar observe in 2024, in addition to their last six races of final yr. The order under can also be based mostly on ‘really feel’ in addition to the numbers.
10. Ferrari – They can’t be this dangerous in China, can they?
You do not need to dig deep into the numbers to see that and effectively under expectations. When it got here to push the automotive, that they had issues and certified seventh and eighth. That was behind not solely two McLarens and the lead Mercedes and Purple Bull but additionally a Williams and a Racing Bull. They completed 2024 strongly, scoring greater than some other staff within the last six rounds with their one-lap tempo on a par with McLaren.
Melbourne was a wake-up name. Their race outcome might need been higher had they not botched the technique of each their drivers. There may be one small observe of cheer, although. Had Hamilton been capable of string collectively his finest three sectors he would have certified fifth and 0.4sec off Norris, not the almost 0.9sec in actuality. They certainly is not going to be this dangerous in China this weekend.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 100.252percentAustralian GP uncooked tempo score: 100.878% (+0.626%)
9. Haas – No tempo in any situation
Haas went into final yr’s season opener with publicly low expectations and managed to exceed them all year long. This yr the alternative appears to be like doubtless. In Melbourne, they had been by far the slowest staff in qualifying and effectively adrift of subsequent worst Sauber. And that is usually a observe they go effectively at.
They, together with Ferrari, had been the one groups each worse than their 2024 qualifying averages and their factors common for that last run of 2024 too. Final yr a race in changeable circumstances like this could have been a great alternative for them to attain first rate factors. But Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon lacked tempo in all circumstances.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 100.910percentAustralian GP uncooked tempo score: 102.731% (+1.821%)
8. Alpine – A wasted alternative
There are solely two groups who must be genuinely upset at their showings in Melbourne. Alpine are ranked this low as a result of they solely improved their qualifying tempo in comparison with this race final yr (once they had been slowest) and failed to attain any factors after a powerful end to 2024.
Clearly there are mitigating components. Firstly, Pierre Gasly seemed snug within the high 10 till a small error dropped him again. Secondly, Jack Doohan didn’t even handle to get to the top of the primary racing lap. Nothing to be too disheartened about, however a missed alternative that they could have taken final yr.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 100.836percentAustralian GP uncooked tempo score: 101.177% (+0.341%)
7. Aston Martin – A smidgen of encouragement
Aston Martin will rightfully be delighted with Lance Stroll’s sixth place. They may very well be essential factors come December. Their qualifying tempo is roughly the place it was on the finish of final yr. That, although, is just not a great factor as a result of they had been the eighth quickest staff in that interval. Nonetheless, not less than they don’t seem to be any worse.
There was encouragement within the race, as they turned twelfth and thirteenth on the grid into factors competition. That finally grew to become eight factors as Stroll saved his nostril clear and delivered a powerful last stint. A dry race in China can be a way more consultant check however given the place they completed final season, that is progress.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 101.563percentAustralian GP uncooked tempo score: 101.587% (+0.024%)
6. Racing Bulls – Promising, however poor luck value them
Each single staff from this level upwards must be happy indirectly. Racing Bulls confirmed vital enchancment in qualifying from each this race final yr and the top of final season. Yuki Tsunoda’s fifth on the grid was an excellent outcome however Isack Hadjar simply lacking out on Q3 on his debut underlines the automotive’s potential over one lap.
Tsunoda was on the right track to say a top-six end till he made an error within the last downpour, dropping him out of the factors. We by no means received to see Hadjar’s tempo however there may be a lot for the staff to be optimistic about, even when they are going to rightly be rueful of the ultimate final result.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 101.221percentAustralian GP uncooked tempo score: 100.764% (-0.457%)
5. Purple Bull – Enchancment wanted for one more title
The encouragement can be that the staff managed to dial out a few of the RB21’s unpredictability over the weekend. That enabled Max Verstappen to ship (as he normally does), third in qualifying and a powerful second place on Sunday.
The first concern can be that the rain allowed Verstappen to make use of his ability and shut the hole to the McLarens. That he was even in competition on the ultimate lap was due to quite a few security automobiles. Sadly, Liam Lawson has very a lot begun the place the troubled Sergio Perez left off, too. Particular enchancment wanted if Verstappen is to say one other title.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 100.291percentAustralian GP uncooked tempo score: 100.513% (+0.222%)
4. Sauber – In dreamland after finest outcome since 2023
Provided that Sauber scored 4 factors within the entirety of 2024 and have six after one spherical in 2025 you may count on them to be greater than fourth on this record. Nico Hulkenberg’s efficiency was maybe extra situational (rain and quite a few sooner automobiles retiring) than consultant of the automotive’s potential, as welcome because the factors can be.
The German saved out of bother within the race after a powerful begin and introduced it residence in seventh. Nonetheless, given how poor their 2024 was they’ve continued their enchancment that started on the finish of final season. It may very well be a battle between them and Haas to remain off backside. Sauber now have the higher hand.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 101.609percentAustralian GP uncooked tempo score: 101.891% (+0.282%)
3. Mercedes – Antonelli’s debut an enormous trigger for hope
Since their final championship in 2021 Mercedes have struggled to adapt to the present period of ground-effect automobiles. 2024, although, was their finest yr with 5 victories. They seem to have continued an upward pattern in the beginning of 2025. Their qualifying tempo (George Russell was on the second row) was marginally worse than the place they completed final season, however considerably higher than this race final yr.
Third and fourth place within the race would have been fourth and fifth had Oscar Piastri managed to maintain his automotive on the black stuff. Nonetheless, that will have been 22 factors they usually averaged 20.7 per spherical within the last six weekends of final yr. Most encouraging for them would have been the sterling efficiency of Kimi Antonelli who drove from sixteenth on the grid to fourth on the flag.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 100.434% Australian GP uncooked tempo score: 100.599% (+0.165%)
2. McLaren – Even higher than 2024
The headline information say that McLaren ended final yr because the quickest staff, locking out the entrance row and profitable the race, as they did in Melbourne this weekend. No change then? Not fairly. Dig a bit deeper and there may be stable progress.
Together with Williams they’re one among solely two groups who improved their factors common from the top of final yr in addition to their qualifying tempo each to final yr’s race in Australia and to the ultimate six races.
Telegraph Sport columnist Gary Anderson additionally famous from final yr’s championship-winning MCL38. Lando Norris and Piastri put that to good use for many of the weekend. When the race and climate settled down they had been the category of the sphere, 17 seconds forward of Verstappen and 30 forward of Russell by lap 32 of 51. This has not been a historically robust observe for them, both.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 100.252percentAustralian GP uncooked tempo score: 100.000% (-0.252%)
1. Williams – A radical transformation
17 factors within the entirety of 2024 and 10 in only one race in 2025 – there isn’t any doubt that Williams must be the happiest on the grid. While different groups’ successes in Australia got here on account of circumstances or owed one thing to fortune, Williams delivered what they deserved. It may have been much more had Carlos Sainz not crashed out below the protection automotive.
Qualifying was their finest staff outcome (Alexander Albon sixth and Sainz tenth) in years. No staff has improved by as giant a margin over one lap as Williams. Within the race, Albon managed to maintain Hamilton behind him for a lot of the race after which stayed within the high six in troublesome circumstances. In 2024 that Williams would doubtless have slipped again out of the factors. A radical transformation.
Final six rounds of 2024 uncooked tempo score: 101.643percentAustralian GP uncooked tempo score: 100.854% (-0.789%)
