Note: This episode was recorded on Tuesday, March 25. Since then, Red Bull has promoted Yuki Tsunoda to race for the team. Liam Lawson will take his place and race for RB. All music used with credit from Artlist.io. Songs used: Aves – Matcha Latte

Australian Grand Prix Recap

The 2025 Formula 1 season kicked off with a thrilling start at the season opener in Melbourne. Lando Norris started the race on pole ahead of Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen. Norris had a strong start and defended his pole position to the checkered flag. It was an unlucky start for rookie Isack Hadjar in RB, who spun off into the barriers during the formation lap. Hadjar was the first of many retirements as drivers navigated tricky wet conditions. These retirements included Carlos Sainz in his first race for Williams and rookies Gabriel Bortoleto and Jack Doohan. Piastri nearly joined this list when he spun out into the grass amidst a chase for pole. The Australian stunned his home crowd by putting the car into reverse and rejoining the track, ultimately finishing the race in ninth. Rookie Kimi Antonelli had a strong finish of fourth for his first race with Mercedes. Alex Albon finished in fifth for Williams, Lance Stroll in sixth for Aston Martin and Nico Hülkenberg in seventh for Kick Sauber. Hülkenberg scored six points for the team, surpassing the total points earned last season.

Chinese Grand Prix Recap

The first sprint weekend on the calendar this year took place in Shanghai, China. Lewis Hamilton took pole for the sprint race and finished in the same position, earning his first win for Ferrari. Oscar Piastri followed closely behind but ultimately finished in second, followed by Max Verstappen in third. After a sensational qualifying performance, Piastri took pole for the race on Sunday, the first ever in his career. He was followed by George Russell in second and Norris in third. In the opening lap of the race, Norris overtook Russell for second place and set out for Piastri next. However, he suffered a critical brake issue in the closing laps and lost out on the chase for pole position. Still, McLaren brought home a one-two finish, extending their lead in the World Constructors’ Championship. 

It was a difficult race for Ferrari, with Hamilton and Charles Leclerc making contact on the opening lap. This resulted in a damaged front wing for Leclerc, however, his pace proved to be better than his teammate’s. Following post-race celebrations, it was announced that both of the Scuderia drivers were disqualified. The plank thickness for Hamilton’s car came below the minimum thickness permitted, and Leclerc suffered a car weight breach. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly faced the same fate as Leclerc after nearly collecting the team’s first points of the season. However, these disqualifications came to the benefit of other drivers. After a tough weekend in Australia, Haas left China beaming after Esteban Ocon and rookie Ollie Bearman scored points for the team. Alex Albon scored points for Williams again, finishing in ninth.