2025 Australian Grand Prix: Fast Facts

The 75^th FIA Formula 1 World Championship is about to get underway in Australia, in Melbourne’s Albert Park to be precise, home to a semi-permanent street circuit. The race in the capital of the State of Victoria marks the start of a long 24 race season, this record number having been reached for the first time last year and between now and the weekend of 5 to 7 December, Formula 1 will visit five continents.

2025 Australian Grand Prix Tyre Compounds 

Having “softened up” its compound choices last year, Pirelli has confirmed the same three compounds for the opening round of 2025, with the trio of C3 as Hard, C4 as Medium and C5 as Soft.

However, compared to a year ago, the tyres themselves have evolved in terms of the characteristics of both construction and compound. The former has been slightly modified to handle the increased aerodynamic loads likely to be generated by the final version of the current generation of cars.

As for the latter, the C3, the most versatile in terms of balance and degradation, is substantially the same as the version used for the previous two seasons, while the C4 has been modified to reduce the possibility of graining on the tread surface, as well as minimising degradation, something that has also been applied to the C5 in order to expand its use as a suitable race tyre.

A fortnight ago, in the Bahrain pre-season test, the C3 did the most work, completing over two-thirds of the total mileage. Teams and drivers therefore have plenty of data relating to this tyre, which is quite similar to last year’s, although they will have to take into account that the Sakhir track surface has very different characteristics to the one they will encounter in Albert Park, which explains why in Australia the C3 is the Hard, while when the championship gets to Bahrain, it will be the Soft.

Something new on the podium 

The Australian Grand Prix podium ceremony will mark the start of a collaboration between Pirelli Design and Denis Dekovi, a world-famous designer, who will produce 14 different looks for the iconic Pirelli Podium Cap, to be worn by the top three finishers at each round of the F1 World Championship.

Dekovic pays homage to the traditions and cultural identity of the country hosting the Grand Prix through the use of colour and materials. With over 30 years experience in the world of sportswear, Dekovic brings his vision to the table, with exclusive pieces that embody performance, precision and prestige, reflecting Pirelli’s quest for excellence both on and off the track.

The collection will be on sale on a new, dedicated e-commerce platform (https://store.pirelli.com/) this weekend, starting with the caps for the first three races of the season.

Looking Back

Last year, the most popular strategy was a two-stop, with the Hard doing most of the work, completing 80% of all the laps, with an average stint length of 22 laps. Only three drivers opted to start on the Soft, with a longest stint of seven laps, while two drivers lined up on Hard tyres, making the Medium compound the most popular tyre on the grid, with 15 starters. Graining made its unwelcome presence felt over the weekend, although it never really compromised tyre performance. Albert Park could be the first real test to see if the changes made, especially to the C4 and C5, will produce the expected results.

The Albert Park track 

The Albert Park Circuit track surface has not changed since it was renewed in 2022 and is not too harsh on tyres. The only modification to the track layout, which features some sections made up of roads usually open to normal traffic, comes at turns 6 and 7 where the barriers and kerbs have been modified, as a precautionary measure to avoid a repetition of some past accidents in this section.

5.278 kilometres long, the circuit combines fast straights with low to medium speed technical corners and some heavy braking points. Summer is sliding into autumn at this time of year in Australia and the weather can be very changeable, with big swings in temperature from one day to the next and rain has been known to put in an appearance.

That could lead to the new Full Wet making its debut: modifications include a new tread design to reduce movement of the blocks which can lead to overheating, while the compound used is closer to that found in the Intermediate, which could give it a wider operating window in crossover conditions. 

There is always plenty of track action here, starting on the Thursday. Apart from Formula 1, Formula 2 and Formula 3, there are rounds of the Porsche Carrera Cup and the Australian Supercars series, so that over the four days, plenty of rubber is put down, which leads to a significant change in grip levels.

Australian Grand Prix: Key Stats

This weekend sees the 39^th edition of the Australian Grand Prix: the first 11, from 1985 to 1995, all took place in Adelaide, after which from 1996 onwards, it has always been held in Albert Park with the exception of 2020 and 2021, when the race was not held because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Adelaide was traditionally the final race of the year, while Melbourne has always staged the race early in the season, mostly as the season-opener, which is once again the case this year. 

Michael Schumacher tops the list of all-time winners here on four, followed by Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel, equal on three. A further 20 drivers have won in Australia, making it one of the races with the highest number of different winners. However, only 15 have ever started from pole, with Lewis Hamilton leading the way on eight, followed by Ayrton Senna on six. 

McLaren and Ferrari are the most successful teams, with 11 wins apiece. The Scuderia has won twice in the past three years, in 2022 with Charles Leclerc and last year with Carlos Sainz, while the reigning world champions have not tasted victory in Melbourne since Button won for them in 2012.

By finishing first and second in 2024, Ferrari is now the team with the most podium finishes (28), overtaking McLaren (27).

How to Watch the 2025 Australian Grand Prix

Formula 1 fans around the globe can catch all the action from the Australian Grand Prix through various broadcasters and streaming services.

In the United Kingdom, viewers can watch every session live on Sky Sports F1, with comprehensive coverage of the practice sessions, qualifying, and the race itself.

For fans in the United States, the Australian Grand Prix will be available through ESPN and its associated channels. ESPN offers extensive coverage of F1, including live broadcasts and replays. Cord-cutters can also stream the race live through various over-the-top (OTT) services that carry ESPN channels.

Viewers in Australia can tune in to watch the Grand Prix weekend unfold live on Fox Sports, which offers complete coverage of F1 races. For online streaming, fans can subscribe to Kayo Sports, a streaming platform that includes all Fox Sports content.

Additionally, F1 TV Pro offers live streaming of every track session to viewers in many countries worldwide.

This subscription service provides access to onboard cameras, team radios, live timing, and more, for an immersive viewing experience.

Remember to check the local listings and services for the most up-to-date information regarding broadcast times and availability in your region.

Jack Doohan’s F1 Dream Comes True

Although Jack Doohan made his F1 race debut in Abu Dhabi in 2024, the Australian marks his first official season as a full-time driver with a home debut at Albert Park as his F1 dream comes true.

“I can’t wait for the season to get underway, especially on home soil in Australia. To start my first full campaign at Albert Park is a dream come true and the support from the fans will be incredible. I’m going to enjoy every moment. I’ve worked so hard to get this chance and now I need to work closely with the team to ensure I get the most out of the car. Albert Park is a tricky circuit with a mix of street and permanent layouts, which makes it unique. The track surface can be slippery and getting into the groove early will be key. A good start to the season is always important so hopefully we can put everything together and get off to a good start. It’s hard to predict how we’ll perform until we get out on track, but our aim is to optimise every aspect of the car and put ourselves in the best possible position.”

Australian Grand Prix: Fast Facts

• The Albert Park Circuit, modified prior to 2023 and thus shortened to 5.278 km, is a temporary track partially run on public roads. As part of the modifications, new tarmac was laid.
• Melbourne has the shortest pit lane on the calendar at just 281 metres. Cars therefore spend only about 17 seconds at pit lane speed.
• A lap of Albert Park sees a driver make just 35 gear changes. This is the second-lowest total on the 2025 calendar after Monza.
• 71% of the lap time is spent at full throttle – also the second highest after Monza.
• The Turn 9-10 section of the lap will submit drivers to the highest Maximum Lateral G load of the season, at 5.1
• At the exit of Turn 6/Apex of Turn 7, the kerb has been replaced by a ‘negative’ kerb, designed to reduce the risk of accidents there seen in previous years.
• The barrier on the left-hand side has also been profiled to address this.
• The pit exit line has been repainted back to its 2018 configuration. The exit line now reaches further into the pit straight, enabling cars more run as they leave the pits.
• At 281 metres, the pit lane at Albert Park is the shortest on the 2025 F1 calendar. Cars will only spend 12.6 seconds driving through the pit lane when making a stop this weekend, quicker than any other track visited this season.
• This will be the 23rd time that Albert Park has hosted the opening Grand Prix of an F1 season, and the first time since 2019 it has raised the curtain of the F1 season.
• The Australian Grand Prix was the last race of the 1995 season, and the first of the 1996 – the only time in history the same Grand Prix has taken place in consecutive races.
• Mercedes has four wins at Albert Park. Nico Rosberg (2014 & 2016), Lewis Hamilton (2015) and Valtteri Bottas (2019)
• George Russell made his F1 debut in Melbourne in 2019 for Williams. He scored his first podium for Mercedes at the track in 2022.
• This will be Kimi Antonelli’s first F1 race, and he will be the third youngest driver to ever start an F1 Grand Prix when the lights go out on Sunday, at 18 years, 6 months, 18 days.