In a surprising turn of events at the Australian Grand Prix, Timo Glock, a revered analyst, tagged Ferrari as the unexpected letdown of the race, with Lewis Hamilton making a less than stellar debut in his new red livery with a single point to his name. The uncertainties loomed large over Ferrari’s performance post pre-season testing with speculations ranging from it being the second to fourth fastest. The SF-25, Ferrari’s beast for the season, had its share of quirks that raised many an eyebrow.
Adding fuel to the fire of curiosity was Lando Norris’ statement prior to the Melbourne race, hinting at the surprising speed that Ferrari might exhibit over the weekend. Aligning with Norris’ prediction, Ferrari did make a head-turning performance on Friday, leading by a tenth ahead of Oscar Piastri. However, their impressive pace did not maintain momentum into Saturday’s qualifying, with Charles Leclerc, although faster of the two Ferraris, landing a less than impressive seventh place and lagging 0.659s behind.
Some speculated that Ferrari’s strategy was tailored for a wet race on Sunday. If that was indeed the case, the strategy seemed to have backfired. The race saw Ferrari fluctuating between the fifth and eighth positions during the initial stint, with Hamilton failing to outpace Alex Albon’s Williams. Ferrari did manage a fleeting climb into podium contention but lost their footing in the pit stop gamble.
Leclerc brought the race to a close in the eighth position while Hamilton, succumbing to Oscar Piastri in the final lap, marked his Ferrari debut with a disappointing tenth position. Glock, expressing his views to Sky Deutschland, called Ferrari the “flop of the weekend” among top teams. Despite the tough break, Glock expressed hope for an improved performance from Ferrari at Shanghai.
While Ferrari’s disappointing show was a talking point, Glock lauded the victorious performance by Lando Norris. The Briton’s commendable start from the pole position, three successful restarts, and a resilient stance against a late surge from Max Verstappen were highlights of his winning feat. A minor error on the 56th lap of the 57-lap race nearly cost Norris dearly, but a swift recovery saw him clinch the victory and become the first driver other than Max Verstappen to lead the Drivers’ standings since May 2022.
Reflecting on Norris’ growth, Glock highlighted the driver’s meticulous analysis with the team over the off-season, and his improved strategic approach that marked a significant shift from his occasional errors in the previous season. Norris’ calm and deliberate approach and his ability to hold his ground under pressure were noted by Glock, who believes this is a sign of a substantially stronger Norris than last year.
