Lando Norris Sets The Pace As Bearman Crashes In Australian Grand Prix Practice.
British rookie Oliver Bearman suffered a heavy crash in the opening practice session of the Australian Grand Prix, while Lando Norris led the timesheets for McLaren.
Bearman, making his full-season debut in Formula 1 after three appearances last year for Ferrari and Haas, lost control at Turn 10, spinning into the wall. Fortunately, the young driver was unhurt, but the incident brought out a red flag, halting the session for 10 minutes as marshals cleared his damaged Haas from the track.
Meanwhile, Norris was the quickest at Melbourne’s Albert Park, setting a lap time 0.149 seconds ahead of Williams’ Carlos Sainz. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc followed closely in third, 0.06 seconds behind his team-mate.
Lewis Hamilton, making his first official outing for Ferrari, struggled in 12th place, 0.819 seconds off the pace. Over the team radio, he reported difficulties with turning the car. His team-mate Leclerc, however, showed strong form in the top three.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri impressed on home soil by securing fourth place, ahead of reigning world champion Max Verstappen in his Red Bull. Williams’ Alex Albon and Mercedes’ George Russell rounded out the top seven.
Russell also had a scare late in the session when he dropped a wheel onto the grass, momentarily losing control, but managed to avoid any damage.
The session saw another red flag when gravel was dragged onto the track at Turn Six, initially by Australian rookie Jack Doohan in the Alpine and later by Piastri. This corner, which caused crashes for Russell and Albon last year, has been reworked for this season, but further refinements may be needed to prevent repeated stoppages.
Off the track, a major development emerged as all 10 Formula 1 teams signed their commercial agreements, securing their commitment to the sport until 2030. However, negotiations with the FIA over governance contracts remain ongoing.
The Australian Grand Prix weekend continues, with further practice and qualifying sessions set to shape the grid ahead of Sunday’s race.
