Australia Kicks Off the Formula 1 World Championship, Just Like Old Times

After nearly 100 days, Formula 1 engines roar back to life. They will do so where purists believe they should: Australia. The Albert Park Circuit, with its twists, slight but persistent inclines, and winding layout, serves as a good testing ground to lay the first stone of a season filled with more questions than answers.

Following the Bahrain tests, it's not entirely clear who the favourite is. Logic suggests it should be Lando Norris, not only because he was the most consistent in terms of pace during pre-season but also because, with the regulatory stability of 2025, there's little reason to believe the 'status quo' will change much from the end of 2024. However, while the British candidate should be the favourite, his teammate, Oscar Piastri, who McLaren renewed before the season's inaugural race, should not be overlooked. It's a clear statement of intent and a warning.

McLaren's performance will also determine Max Verstappen's position, surprisingly under the radar during pre-season and recent months. The Dutchman, with his newly acquired fourth championship, wasn't among the best in Bahrain, but the RB21 remains a strong favourite for this year. He will be joined by Liam Lawson, who faces the tough challenge of replacing the forgotten Sergio Pérez as the Dutch giant's wingman.

While the sporting spotlight will be on the 2024 constructors' and drivers' champions, the media focus will be on Ferrari's pit wall. Lewis Hamilton's debut with the Scuderia in a grand prix has generated excitement that has Netflix producers salivating as they film for the next season of their reality-inspired series. The performance of the SF25 is one of the great unknowns at the start of the year, not only because of Hamilton's debut but also to see how Charles Leclerc responds to the challenge of having the seven-time champion by his side. One of the big questions to be answered in 2025 is the leadership within Ferrari: the Predestined or the newly arrived legend?

Another unresolved question lies with the driver who had to leave Ferrari to make room for Hamilton. Carlos Sainz seems to have adapted reasonably well to Williams, a team with more glory in its history than potential in its present, but which left a good impression in the tests. Although Alex Albon is well-established in the team, his new teammate will try to prove he has the calibre and shine to challenge him and aim to place his new team in the midfield. Many experts see him as a strong candidate to score consistently rather than sporadically as before, and even to touch a podium if circumstances allow. "It's been a busy winter catching up with Williams and learning about the new car, but I'm ready to get behind the wheel and see how the car performs against our rivals," Sainz said in statements provided by his team. "Although we left the tests with positive feelings about our performance and improvements, it's always hard to know for sure without knowing what our competitors are doing," explained the Spaniard.

The ever-present Fernando Alonso arrives in Australia, one of the circuits where he has already won and where he debuted back in 2001, with the more than logical suspicion that his 22nd season in Formula 1 will be quite uncomfortable. The Asturian knows that the AMR25 is a direct heir to the iron that was its predecessor, and until Adrian Newey's pencils start to bear fruit, this will continue. The data from Bahrain neither invites optimism nor should be considered an absolute truth, but as always, we must wait to see what happens on the track. With Andy Cowell as the new head and driving force of the team after his successes with Mercedes, Aston Martin aspires to glory in the medium term... and perhaps Alonso will no longer be there. Or maybe he will.

Moreover, Aston Martin, despite generating doubts, was also testing things suspiciously similar to those that have already worked in teams that are now fighting to win. "We have followed our program, which is obviously different from the rest of the teams," Alonso confirmed to the media in the Melbourne paddock. That burning nail that the green cars covered up in the tests and the expected rain for the weekend could change expectations around the Asturian.