Formula 1 is officially set to kick off tonight, with the first race of the season taking place at 11 p.m. in Melbourne, Australia.
Racers began taking part in the Australian Grand Prix on Thursday with the first practice of the season, followed by two additional practices taking place on Friday before the qualifying race on Saturday at midnight, per Formula 1.
Lando Norris opens the season with the best odds of any racer to win the Australian Grand Prix, followed by Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen with the second and third best odds to come out on top, per Formula 1.
A record crowd of 125,548 people showed up to watch as the Formula 1 racers practiced for the first race of the season, with Ferrari’s Leclerc and McLaren’s Norris clocking the fastest times of any racer, per The Associated Press.
Although the first few days of practice were hot and sunny, the weather conditions could become much worse when the race officially begins.
The current report is that there is a “High chance of rain from midday with a rainy front expected to cross the area in the afternoon,” meaning racers will have to account for difficult conditions during the race, per Formula 1.
One of the biggest storylines for the upcoming season is seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton’s debut for Ferrari after spending the last decade with Mercedes.
Many expected Hamilton to end his career with Mercedes following a multi-year contract in 2023, but a contract offer from Ferrari worth €80 million a season was enough to pull him away from his long-time partner, per Planet F1.
Of the €80 million that he will be paid per season, €20 million will be provided to Mission 44, which is Hamilton’s charity that is “working to build a fairer, more inclusive future for young people around the world.”
The 40-year-old driver said he does not feel pressure from those within Ferrari despite the big contract, explaining that he has put so much pressure on himself throughout his career that it no longer fazes him.
“I think over the years, the pressure I put on myself has always been 10 times higher than any other pressure that could be put upon me. I haven’t joined this team and been made to feel any pressure,” he said, per The Associated Press.
“I have an expectation for myself — I know what I can bring. I know what I can deliver. And I know what it’s going to take.”
Following the completion of the Australian Grand Prix, racers will begin preparing for the second race of the season in China, which is scheduled to begin with practices beginning to take place on March 20.
The full Formula 1 schedule for the 2025 season is available here.