Ferrari's Shock Fall: F1 Team Rankings Shakeup After the Australian GP

The dust has settled on The season-starting Australian Grand Prix Having thoroughly examined Formula One’s 10 teams, we now provide our evaluation of each team's sentiments following their initial significant trial run of the 2025 season.

By examining the top lap times and rankings, we can gauge how swiftly each squad is performing. This serves more as an indicator of each team’s level of satisfaction based on their advancement along with their set objectives.

We took into account multiple criteria. Firstly, a squad’s qualification standing or 'pure speed score', which was indicated as a fraction of the quickest lap achieved during qualifications – with smaller figures being preferable. Secondly, we evaluated how they fared in recent races against both this season’s event at the identical circuit from 2024 and their concluding half-dozen contests from the previous year. Consequently, the sequence listed underneath reflects not only numerical data but also our intuitive assessment.

10. Ferrari – Surely they won’t perform so poorly in China, right?

You do not have to dig deep into the numbers to see that Ferrari had a dismal start to the weekend. and well below expectations. When it came to push the car, they had problems and qualified seventh and eighth. That was behind not only two McLarens and the lead Mercedes and Red Bull but also a Williams and a Racing Bull. They finished 2024 strongly, scoring more than any other team in the final six rounds with their one-lap pace on a par with McLaren.

The performance in Melbourne served as a wake-up call. The team’s final standings could have been more favorable if they hadn’t mismanaged the strategies for both drivers. However, there is a glimmer of hope: If Hamilton had managed to link his top three sector times, he would have secured fifth place instead of being almost 0.9 seconds behind Norris, who finished just over half a second ahead. It’s unlikely they’ll perform so poorly again at the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend.

Last six rounds of 2024 raw pace rating: 100.252%

Raw performance ranking for the Australian Grand Prix: 100.878% (+0.626%)

9. Haas – No pace in any condition

Last year, Haas entered the opening race with modest public expectations but ended up surpassing them consistently throughout the season. However, this year seems poised for the reverse scenario. At the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, they were undoubtedly the slowest team during qualification and significantly behind the second-slowest, which was Sauber. Typically, this is a circuit where they perform quite well.

They, along with Ferrari, were the only teams both worse than their 2024 qualifying averages and their points average for that final run of 2024 too. Last year a race in changeable conditions like this would have been a good opportunity for them to score decent points. Yet Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon lacked pace in all conditions.

Last six rounds of 2024 raw pace rating: 100.910%

Raw performance ranking for the Australian Grand Prix: 102.731% (+1.821%)

8. Alpine – An Unfulfilled Potential

There are only two teams who should be genuinely upset at their showings in Melbourne. Alpine are ranked this low because they only improved their qualifying pace compared to this race last year (when they were slowest) and failed to score any points after a strong finish to 2024.

Certainly, there were some extenuating circumstances. For one, Pierre Gasly seemed at ease within the top 10 before a minor mistake pushed him further down. Additionally, Jack Doohan failed to complete the initial lap of the race. It’s nothing overly disappointing, yet an occasion that could have been capitalised upon had this happened in previous years.

The final six sets of raw pace ratings for 2024: 100.836%

Raw performance ranking for the Australian Grand Prix: 101.177% (+0.341%)

7. Aston Martin – A touch of motivation

Aston Martin will rightfully be delighted with Lance Stroll’s sixth place. They could be crucial points come December. Their qualifying pace is roughly where it was at the end of last year. That, though, is not a good thing because they were the eighth fastest team in that period. Still, at least they are not any worse.

The team found motivation in the race when they transformed their starting positions of 12th and 13th on the grid into a chance for scoring points. Ultimately, they secured eight points thanks to Stroll’s cautious driving and robust performance during the closing stages. While a dry race in China would offer a better gauge of competitiveness, moving forward from last season’s finishing position indicates advancement.

The final six sets of raw pace ratings for 2024: 101.563%

Australian GP raw pace rating: 101.587% (+0.024%)

6. Racing Bulls – Promising, but poor luck cost them

Every single team from this point upwards should be pleased in some way. Racing Bulls showed significant improvement in qualifying from both this race last year and the end of last season. Yuki Tsunoda’s fifth on the grid was a superb result but Isack Hadjar just missing out on Q3 on his debut underlines the car’s potential over one lap.

Tsunoda was on course to claim a top-six finish until he made an error in the final downpour, dropping him out of the points. We never got to see Hadjar’s pace but there is plenty for the team to be optimistic about, even if they will rightly be rueful of the final outcome.

The final six rounds of the 2024 raw pace rating were: 101.221%

Raw performance ranking for the Australian Grand Prix: 100.764% (-0.457%)

5. Red Bull – Improvement needed for another title

The encouragement will be that the team managed to dial out some of the RB21’s unpredictability over the weekend. That enabled Max Verstappen to deliver (as he usually does), third in qualifying and a strong second place on Sunday.

The primary concern will be that the rain allowed Verstappen to use his skill and close the gap to the McLarens. That he was even in contention on the final lap was because of numerous safety cars. Sadly, Liam Lawson has very much begun where the troubled Sergio Perez left off, too. Definite improvement needed if Verstappen is to claim another title.

Last six rounds of 2024 raw pace rating: 100.291%

Australian GP raw pace rating: 100.513% (+0.222%)

4. Sauber – In dreamland after best result since 2023

Given that Sauber scored four points in the entirety of 2024 and have six after one round in 2025 you might expect them to be higher than fourth in this list. Nico Hulkenberg’s performance was perhaps more situational (rain and numerous faster cars retiring) than representative of the car’s potential, as welcome as the points will be.

The German kept out of trouble in the race after a strong start and brought it home in seventh. Still, given how poor their 2024 was they have continued their improvement that began at the end of last season. It could be a fight between them and Haas to stay off bottom. Sauber now have the upper hand.

Last six rounds of 2024 raw pace rating: 101.609%

Australian GP raw pace rating: 101.891% (+0.282%)

3. Mercedes – Antonelli’s debut a huge cause for hope

After winning their most recent championship in 2021, Mercedes has found it challenging to adjust to the new generation of ground-effect vehicles. However, 2024 turned out to be their strongest year yet, securing five wins. At the beginning of 2025, they seem to be maintaining this positive trajectory. While their qualification speed (with George Russell lining up on the second row) was slightly behind their final standings from the previous season, it marked considerable improvement compared to the same event in the prior year.

If Oscar Piastri could have maintained control over his vehicle, third and fourth places in the race would instead be considered as fourth and fifth positions. Even so, those spots still account for 22 points, which aligns closely with their average score of approximately 20.7 points per event during the concluding six rounds of last season. The most promising aspect was undoubtedly the impressive drive by Kimi Antonelli, who started from 16th position but surged through the field to finish strongly in fourth place at the checkered flag.

The final six sets of raw pace ratings for 2024: 100.434%

Raw performance ranking for the Australian Grand Prix: 100.599% (+0.165%)

2. McLaren – Even more impressive than in 2024

The key points indicate that McLaren concluded last year at the top of the charts, securing the front row and claiming victory in the race, just as they did in Melbourne over this past weekend. However, not everything remains unchanged. Upon closer inspection, you can see notable advancements.

Along with Williams they are one of only two teams who improved their points average from the end of last year as well as their qualifying pace both to last year’s race in Australia and to the final six races.

Telegraph Sport columnist Gary Anderson also noted the MCL39 appears to be a step up From last year’s title-winning MCL38, Lando Norris and Piastri made excellent use of their car throughout much of the weekend. As soon as the race conditions stabilized along with the weather, they dominated the competition; by lap 32 out of 51, they led Verstappen by 17 seconds and Russell by 30 seconds. Historically, this hasn’t typically been one of their strongest circuits, though.

Last six rounds of 2024 raw pace rating: 100.252%

Australian GP raw pace rating: 100.000% (-0.252%)

1. Williams – A radical transformation

17 points in the entirety of 2024 and 10 in just one race in 2025 – there is no doubt that Williams should be the happiest on the grid. Whilst other teams’ successes in Australia came as a result of conditions or owed something to fortune, Williams delivered what they deserved. It could have been even more had Carlos Sainz not crashed out under the safety car.

Qualifying was their best team result (Alexander Albon sixth and Sainz 10th) in years. No team has improved by as large a margin over one lap as Williams. In the race, Albon managed to keep Hamilton behind him for much of the race and then stayed in the top six in difficult conditions. In 2024 that Williams would likely have slipped back out of the points. A radical transformation.

The final six sets of the 2024 raw pace rating were: 101.643%

Raw performance ranking for the Australian Grand Prix: 100.854% (-0.789%)

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