Anticipation builds for Hamilton's Ferrari debut when F1® takes to the track

The highlight of the day is sure to be the first appearance in a Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton. It is 407 days since the news that the seven-time World Champion would move to Maranello for this season and the first sighting of the British legend on-track will happen at 12:30 pm, when the Formula 1® cars take to the track for the opening Practice session of the 2025 season.

The second one-hour session is set for 4:00 p.m., with the teams out to determine the best race set-up. This session is closest to Sunday’s race time, but that might change because of the weather. 

Early risers will be out to keep an eye on the 45-minute F3™ Practice session, which will start on-track proceedings at 8:50 am, with a second, Qualifying session for 2:00 pm to set the all-important grid positions for the sport’s rising stars.

Melbourne driver James Wharton will be the crowd favourite, the 18-year-old starting his first season with ART Grand Prix. Louis Sharp (Rodin) will be carrying the hopes of the Kiwi race fans, and keep an eye on the second-generation sons of Formula 1 drivers; Brando Badoer (son of Luca Badoer) and Charlie Wurz (son of Alex Wurz).

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Likewise, the F2™ teams and drivers will start their season at 10:00 a.m., with a 45-minute Practice session and a 30-minute Qualifying session at 5:30 p.m. With no Australian drivers in the field, much of the attention will be on the returning F2 stars, like Richard Verschoor (MP Motorsport), Gabriele Mini (Prema), and Victor Martins (ART Grand Prix). 

The Supercars will take to the track at 2:45 pm for the second race in the MSS Security SuperSprint, to be run over 19 laps. After a Triple 8 1-2 finish on Thursday, Albert Park specialist Broc Feeney will start on pole position, his 10th at the Grand Prix circuit, ahead of the Matt Stone Racing Chevrolets Cameron Hill (who took his first podium finish on Thursday) and Nick Percat. Cam Waters is the leading Ford driver on the grid, and the Supercars points leader will start from sixth position, much higher than his lowly 22nd starting position on Thursday, from where he leapt to sixth.

The Porsche Carrera Cup field will bring racing to a conclusion with their second weekend race, over 13 laps, at 6:25 pm. Harri Jones, the fast man on Thursday, will start from pole position for the second day in a row. His Thursday win came after Alessandro Ghiretti copped a time penalty, dropping him from P1 to eighth so that the Frenchman will be out for revenge on Friday evening.