F1 Australian GP live updates - media day

We've not heard from Sauber corner today - Nico Hulkenberg reckoned that the Swiss outfit's C45 was "challenging" to drive in the Bahrain test, but hopes that set-up changes and new parts can bring the car together in Australia.

"The car was challenging to drive, it wasn't easy. I think we've identified a few things that weren't optimal with the car there, so we try to clean those up. There's a few new bits and bobs on the car, so we'll reset and go again and see how the car is."

As part of the reigning constructors' championship-winning team, Lando Norris accepts that he is viewed by many as the favourite for the 2025 title. Not that this has stopped him from downplaying it:

"Everyone just wants to play that game of looking like the underdog and playing it down. We just focus on ourselves and it's nice that so many people are thinking about us and, and talking about us, you know, great publicity for us.

"So I thank all of them, But it makes no difference, if I go out this weekend and do a bad job, who cares what people have said in the past? I don't believe it."

Earlier, Carlos Sainz suggested that Charles Leclerc was in a purple patch in his career - here's how the Monegasque responded:

"I mean, I feel as strong as I've ever been, stronger than I've ever been, but that's normal. In Formula 1, it's all about trying to improve as a driver, so I'm stronger than last year and last year I was saying I was stronger than the year before."

Over at Red Bull, and Liam Lawson is under no illusions about the task he faces with Max Verstappen against him in the other car. He's wisely suggested that, instead of trying to beat his team-mate from the get-go, that he taps into him for his own learning process.

"We all believe we're the best, so deep down obviously I have that self-confidence, but also realistically, where I am coming in now against somebody who's 10 years in this team and has won four championships, then it's not really fair for me to expect myself to come in and beat somebody like that off the bat.

"For me it's about using him to get better and to develop as quickly as possible and get towards that goal of winning as fast as possible."

Lewis Hamilton laid bare the challenge of joining Ferrari - one that he appears to be relishing. He says that the opportunity to get a "different perspective" at the Scuderia has made it an exciting new chapter in his F1 career.

"It's something quite new, [engine has a] different vibration, different feel. The whole team works completely differently. I was just sitting just looking at the race trace from last year and it's upside down compared to the previous ones. I'm looking at it and I didn't understand it at all! Looking at things from a different perspective makes it exciting and challenging, this is the most exciting period of my life, and so I'm really just enjoying it and I'm so excited to get in the car tomorrow."

Fresh from signing a new McLaren contract, Oscar Piastri kept schtum on his chances of becoming the first winner of an F1 grand prix in Australia (non-championship races notwithstanding!)

"I know what you want me to say, and everyone's headline could be that, but we'll see. No one really knows what to expect. Testing went pretty well, but we don't know where everybody sits, I think where we're pretty happy with how our test went. But Melbourne's a completely different track to Bahrain and the weather's going to be different to Bahrain and different every hour by the look of things."

"It's going to be an interesting weekend for sure, but I think hopefully we're, expecting to be somewhere up front, whether that's right at the pointy end, we'll wait until Saturday."

In his first grand prix press conference with Haas, Esteban Ocon offered positivity in his view of the VF-25 from testing.

"I think so far we've left nothing on the table. So far we've prepared well, but there will be things to analyse where we feel that maybe there were weaknesses. I think our first two days of the test were very good; the car was very solid, I was happy with it.

"The last day was a bit more difficult for us, but you know had some damage early in the day, so it was a difficult day to get a proper read really, it was different conditions as well because it was a lot more windy. Tomorrow we will be able to tell a bit more because we know more the loads of everyone, how they are pushing and what we will get, so you know I'm patient."

Haas' rookie Oliver Bearman has already driven in three F1 races, but he's taken the approach of treating Melbourne like it's his first 'proper' grand prix.

"[I have] certainly still the same excitement," Bearman said. "I'm lucky to have had these opportunities, but I'm also treating it like my debut. My family [is here] to support me, which is great. I think the fact that I've had these [previous] chances take away a bit of doubt for sure. But I'm sure when those lights are going on that I'll be feeling the same as always. I'm just looking forward to getting started."

Tsunoda has had his say on the prospect of being Racing Bulls' team leader, although was typically self-effacing about that role in 2025. The Japanese driver reckoned that he felt he was in a similar position to last season where, although Daniel Ricciardo joined the team as the more experienced driver, Tsunoda had more knowledge of the team.

"Good point, actually - I didn't really think about it! There's definitely more responsibility, but at the same time last year, beginning of the season, [it was a] similar time to now. I was feeling obviously not as strong as now, but it's a similar feeling that because already I was in the 4th season in this team; Daniel was an experienced driver, but at the same time, I was the team expert, I knew about the car more so it's not much difference."

Tsunoda faces the media in his first press session of the season, pictured next to our man Cleeren

Photo by: Sam Shephard

Racing Bulls' new recruit Isack Hadjar has taken part in his first media session - and has offered a complimentary view of having Yuki Tsunoda as his new team-mate. "He's just fast - every time we hit the track and we have his reference, so he's a really nice benchmark to compare myself to. He's not hiding anything at all, he's sharing a lot and it's up to me to go and ask and work [with him]."

The Frenchman reckons that he's getting up to speed in his new role as an F1 driver, and believes it's a much better environment compared to the junior categories to show his true pace.

"I would say it's easy to be fast, but then the last few tenths are always the hardest to get. Time will tell, but obviously I'm not far off already."

Alex Albon was first up among the media interviews at the track, and he spoke about Williams' improvements over the off-season, versus where it started last year.

"We are definitely better prepared - the car is on weight, we've got all the parts to go racing, and spare the parts on top of that. [There's] nothing on the car this weekend that we have had to compromise, which I can say wasn't the case last year. We still need to be careful, and still need to make sure we don't get into unnecessary crashes. But we are in a much stronger position."

He also gave his blessing to the minor reprofiling changes at Turn 6, given his involvement in incidents at the challenging right-hander - he said it should remove some of the 'unpredictability' without cost it its "fear factor".