Ferrari’s hidden pace in Melbourne? Hamilton praises Leclerc as Norris calls sabbage ahead of 2025 F1 opener

The 2025 Formula 1 season heats up in Melbourne and the paddock is already buzzing with speculation and revelations that could reshape expectations for the Australian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari has brought new dynamics to the team, with the seven-time world champion offering brilliant insights into his new partnership with Charles Leclerc. Meanwhile, McLaren’s Lando Norris stirred the pot by downplaying his team’s preseason hype and dropping a bombshell about Ferrari’s potential sandbagging during testing. As the season opener looms, the question on everyone’s mind is: who really has the upper hand?

Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari after 12 years with Mercedes marks a seismic shift in the sport, pairing him with Leclerc, a driver widely regarded as a champion in waiting. Since joining Ferrari in 2019, Leclerc has cemented himself as a cornerstone of the team, earning adoration from fans with his pace and consistency.

Hamilton, speaking ahead of the Melbourne Grand Prix, couldn’t resist praising his new teammate, describing their partnership as one of the strongest driver lineups Ferrari has ever seen. Quoted by Motorsport.com, Hamilton highlighted Leclerc’s work ethic as particularly impressive: “Of course, I think every driver works really hard, but everyone has a different method. It’s been really interesting to see: it’s not too different to mine. You just see a hard-working kid getting on with it.” Having observed Leclerc’s long tenure with Ferrari, Hamilton expressed excitement at their partnership, noting how Leclerc has become “Mr. Ferrari”. For fans, this mutual respect sets the stage for an exciting intra-team battle, with two generational talents set to push each other – and the car – to new heights.

While the Ferrari Dynamic driver promises fireworks, the team’s true pace remains a mystery, with comments from McLaren’s Lando Norris sending ripples through the F1 community. McLaren emerged from preseason testing in Bahrain as apparent pacesetters, with Norris’ race simulation on day two raising eyebrows across the paddock. His long-term pace was reportedly a full second quicker than Leclerc and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, fuelling speculation that McLaren could dominate the opening races of 2025.

However, Norris has moved to temper expectations, walking back claims that his team has a significant advantage. Speaking to Sky F1, Norris explained: “I know there’s a lot of expectation… My race run made everyone quite confident. It was a good race, but it was also in the most perfect conditions. Oscar [Piastri] had a race the next day that was a lot slower, not because he drove worse, but because the conditions were considerably slower.” He criticised the “short-sighted” conclusions drawn by observers, suggesting that the hype surrounding McLaren may be premature.

But Norris didn’t stop there: he turned the spotlight on Ferrari, hinting at a potential sandblasting strategy that could see them surprise everyone in Melbourne. “Other people looked extremely strong, including Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari,” Norris revealed. “I know how much fuel and stuff Ferrari had for a lot of testing – you’ll be surprised how quick they’ll be this weekend.” His comments imply that Ferrari may have been deliberately running heavier fuel loads during testing, masking their true potential. If Norris’s intel is accurate, Ferrari could emerge as the team to beat at the Australian Grand Prix, catching rivals off guard in what is already shaping up to be a fiercely competitive season. For McLaren, Norris stressed a focused approach: “We keep to ourselves, we want to be quick, we expect to be up there fighting, but I definitely don’t think with the margin it’s saying everyone.”

As the F1 circus descends on Albert Park, the 2025 season opener promises to offer more than just racing – it’s a battle of strategy, mind games and raw talent. Will Ferrari’s alleged sandbagging result in a shock win, with Hamilton and Leclerc dominating from the start? Or will McLaren live up to the hype, even if Norris plays their advantage? With Red Bull and Mercedes also in the mix, the Australian Grand Prix could set the tone for a championship fight unlike any we’ve seen in years. One thing’s for sure: Melbourne is about to see a clash of the Titans, and the truth behind the preseason rumours will be revealed if the track is anything to go by.