The 2025 Formula One season has begun in Melbourne. Get the thoughts of Lance, Fernando, and our team following the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
Our team opened the new Formula One season in the points as Lance delivered a fine drive in tricky conditions to secure sixth place, whilst Fernando retired after contact with the wall.
A mixed Sunday both in terms of our result on track and the weather in Melbourne, rain before and during the Grand Prix made an already slippery Albert Park Circuit track surface even more treacherous, ensuring a challenging 57-lap race.
Read on for the thoughts and reaction of our team Down Under.
Sunday round-up and reaction
Wet weather, cold tyres, and the slippery track surface combined to make the race start particularly hazardous, with several incidents early on.
Fernando and Lance, starting P12 and P13 respectively, kept line astern; plotting their way through the initial laps of the race and a Safety Car period.
After the opening stages, a dry line began to appear around the circuit, with the field starting to think about the optimal time to pit for dry tyres.
However, before any such stops could be made, Fernando was unlucky on the exit of Turn Six to find some gravel on his usual line which spun him into the wall, prompting another Safety Car period and a flurry of cars visiting the pit lane to change to slicks, including Lance who pitted for Hards.
In the final quarter of the race, the rain fell once more, requiring a significant strategy call: stay out on slicks or pit for Intermediates.
Our team and Lance did the latter, which proved the correct decision. As others in front initially stayed out and then eventually needed to pit as conditions worsened and another Safety Car period was called, Lance rose to P6 to secure eight points.
Our team did well to make the most of the opportunities presented to them in a frantic, gripping Grand Prix, whilst also picking up good data about our new car, the AMR25, in both dry and wet conditions across the weekend.
#18 | Lance Stroll | Race
"That was a super tricky race, so it's good to come away with some big points for the team. I'm happy with that, for sure.
"We knew from the start that it was about staying on track and being on the right tyre at the right time, and we did that today. It's always a real balance of risk versus reward in these changing conditions. You've got to stay clean and consistent.
"The team made a great call bringing me in for the Intermediate tyres towards the end of the race. They were across the forecast and we made up positions because of it.
"The car still isn't where we want it to be – we've got to keep pushing for improvements – but that makes it even more important to make the most of opportunities like we did today."
#14 | Fernando Alonso | Race
"It was a challenging race today with the wet conditions and I was a little unlucky in the end. I was battling inside the top 10 and felt like I was in the mix with others around me. I drove the same line at Turn Six, but there was some gravel there which caused me to lose control.
"There are some weaknesses in the car that we need to tackle, but if we execute a good weekend then it looks like we can score points this season. We get to have another go next week in China."
Andy Cowell | CEO & Team Principal
"Eight points for Lance is a great way to start our season. Conditions were incredibly challenging for everyone, but he delivered an excellent race to navigate his way to sixth place [from P13]. He maximised every opportunity and did not put a wheel out of place all race.
"Our strategy calls from the pit wall were strong and it was a great team performance. We had a solid opportunity to score with both cars today, but Fernando was unlucky with some gravel on the exit of Turn Six sending him into the wall on lap 33. This result gives us a nice boost as we head to China, but it's clear we need to work hard to improve the car for the long season ahead of us."
Next up
A quick turnaround for our team as we head to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix next weekend.
Saturday
Qualifying unfolded in sweltering conditions in Melbourne but, with rain expected for Sunday's race, the team had decisions to make over setup and how to strike a balance to optimise the car across Saturday and Sunday, as parc fermé conditions state the car's setup must be the same for Qualifying and the Grand Prix.
Both drivers progressed from Q1 safely, with the tight nature of the field immediately on show and fine margins making all the difference.
In Q2, Fernando ran wide on the exit of Turn 10 and picked up floor damage, which compromised performance for the remainder of his session.
Lance will line up one spot behind Fernando on Sunday's grid, with the pair's Q2 times separated by just three-hundredths of a second.
The team will get to see the AMR25 in race trim for the first time. Even if the race is affected by inclement conditions, Sunday's Grand Prix will provide a wealth of data as we continue to learn about our new car and seek further opportunities for development and refinement.
#18 | Lance Stroll | Qualifying
"I think after everything we've seen this weekend P13 was a good result for us. We were just missing a tenth or two in Q2.
"It's not where we want to be, but relative to the rest of the weekend Qualifying was our most competitive session.
"It looks like it's going to be an interesting race tomorrow; if there's rain it could mix things up. There are opportunities for points in those conditions but you need to have the confidence in the car beneath you."
#14 | Fernando Alonso | Qualifying
"I'm pleased with today's Qualifying as we ended up being close to the top 10 despite suffering with some floor damage during Q2.
"Q1 ended up being pretty good for us and we were comfortably in the top 10. I then ran wide at Turn 10 in Q2 and it damaged the floor a little.
"I think it's a good sign that we were fighting for Q3 for the first Qualifying session of the season. Let's see if it rains tomorrow as it's not an easy place to race in the wet due to the visibility. We are ready and hopefully we can score points tomorrow."
Andy Cowell | CEO & Team Principal
"After Q1 we looked to be in with a chance of the top 10, but it slipped away from us slightly in Q2.
"The car didn't make the performance gains we expected as the session progressed and we will continue to work on improving driveability.
"The weather forecast suggests rain is on the way, which could make things interesting. There is plenty to play for tomorrow and from P12 and P13 we can target some points."
Next up
The first race of the 2025 season. Lights out in Melbourne is at 04:00 GMT.
Friday
After a busy and productive three-day test in Bahrain last month, Friday was the latest chance for us to learn more about our new car, the AMR25.
A mix of shorter and longer runs were conducted over the course of the day, as the team assessed the car's pace over one lap for Qualifying and a longer distance for Sunday's race.
Both Lance and Fernando clocked up good mileage, recording 98 laps between them over the two sessions.
The team tried a few different car setups on both cars as they continue to optimise the AMR25 for the high-speed Albert Park Circuit, and also learn more about its strengths and areas for further improvement on a different racetrack to Bahrain International Circuit.
#18 | Lance Stroll | Free Practice
"It's great to be back at Albert Park. The circuit has a nice flow and is fast-paced.
"We got a good amount of running in today as we continue to learn about the AMR25. It's nice to be inside the top 10 in both practice sessions but obviously it's tomorrow that really matters.
"We found some positives but also some areas we want to improve upon, so we'll work hard tonight to try to optimise the car for Qualifying."
#14 | Fernando Alonso | Free Practice
"It's always good to get into the first Grand Prix weekend of a new season.
"We're continuing to learn about the AMR25, and we tried a few different things today with the setup to inform our direction for the rest of the weekend.
"Of course, it's only Friday so there's lots to study and analyse, which we'll be doing this evening ahead of Qualifying."
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