Australian GP: Leclerc puts Ferrari on top in FP2

Charles Leclerc stamped his authority on the Australian Grand Prix’s second practice session, powering his Ferrari to a scorching 1m16.439s lap to claim the top spot as Friday’s action wrapped up at Albert Park.

Hot on his heels, McLaren’s home hero Oscar Piastri and teammate Lando Norris locked in second and third, trailing by just 0.124s and 0.141s, respectively.

A very impressive Yuki Tsunoda claimed fourth for Racings Bulls, the Japanese charger edging Lewis Hamilton and an equally remarkable Isack Hadjar in the second VCARB 02.

• Australian Grand Prix Free Practice 2 - Results

The session roared to life at 4:00 PM local time, with Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto first to charge out of the pits. But not everyone was so quick off the mark—Haas rookie Ollie Bearman sat sidelined, his crew still piecing together his car after a brutal FP1 crash.

Meanwhile, drama unfolded in the pit lane: Lando Norris botched a practice start, swerving onto the grass to dodge Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, who zipped by with zero patience for delays.

Gravel Traps and Speed Shifts

The hour wasn’t without its hiccups. Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber took a wild detour through Turn 6’s gravel, forcing a pit stop to inspect his floor, while Pierre Gasly’s Alpine followed suit later, skittering off at Turn 3.

Early runs on medium tyres saw Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton flex Ferrari’s muscle, but the soft-tire switch flipped the script. Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda briefly snatched P1, only for Norris to fire back with a 1m16.580s—until Leclerc reclaimed the throne past the halfway mark.

Top Guns and Dark Horses

As the clock wound down, Leclerc held firm, with Piastri and Norris cementing McLaren’s pace. Tsunoda (P4) and teammate Isack Hadjar (P6) turned heads for Racing Bulls, sandwiching Hamilton’s P5 finish.

Max Verstappen, tinkering with Red Bull setup changes, settled for seventh, while Hulkenberg (P8), Lance Stroll (P9), and George Russell (P10) rounded out the top ten. Williams’ Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon hovered just outside in 11th and 12th.

Further back, Fernando Alonso (P13), Jack Doohan (P14), and Gasly (P15) kept it steady, but Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli (P16) and Lawson (P17) struggled. Bortoleto (P18) and Haas’ Esteban Ocon (P19) brought up the rear, while Bearman’s late garage tease ended in a lapless day.

With Friday’s action wrapped up, teams now turn their focus to final practice and the crucial qualifying session on Saturday.

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