The opening qualifying session of the 2025 F2 season at Albert Park was nothing short of chaotic, with a session filled with incidents, intense battles for track position, and late-session heroics. Gabriele Minì emerged as the first polesitter of the year, but not without controversy, as he and Jak Crawford faced post-session investigations.
Speaking to Pit Debrief and the media, after a demanding qualifying, the top three drivers shared their thoughts on the newly modified Albert Park circuit.
Reacting to a challenging track
When asked by Pit Debrief about the modifications made to the track and which sections they deemed challenging, Miní said, “There were some track changes, especially the kerbs, particularly at Turn 6.”
“It was a big improvement because last year it was easy to bottom out and spin, but this year, it wasn’t an issue. I think the conditions today were more influenced by wind and track temperature rather than the changes.”
Victor Martins echoed Miní’s statement regarding the Turn 6, modifications. “Turn 6-7 modifications are a big improvement. It’s good that we can use the full kerb but not beyond it because of the gravel,” he explained.
“I enjoy these types of circuits with high-speed corners, like Turn 5, which is quite challenging. You need good confidence in sections like Turn 6-7 and 9-10. Personally, I love these high-speed sections.”
Crawford highlighted the difficulty of the track, saying, “This track is very high-speed, and being a street circuit makes it quite tricky.”
“The gravel is close, and the margin for error is small. It still has that old-school feel, and we saw plenty of mistakes today because of that. Overall, it’s a great track with lots of high-speed corners that make it difficult.”
Safety concerns surrounding Turn 6
Last month, Tom Mottram, Chief Events Officer for the Australian GP Corporation, addressed the safety concerns and outlined the latest modifications:
“Turn 6 was originally widened to increase overtaking opportunities and speed. Now, we’ve modified the exit kerbs, removed artificial turf, realigned barriers, and extended the TecPro barriers by two metres to reduce the risk of cars bouncing back onto the track.”
Additionally, a 90-metre negative kerb has replaced the previous bevel kerb to prevent cars from accelerating unpredictably off the kerb. The changes aim to balance safety with maintaining the track’s character.
While additional modifications were considered, Melbourne officials refrained from making drastic modifications ahead of the 2025 event, keeping F1’s 2026 regulations in mind.
“We could slow it down significantly by changing the apex, but that would take away the essence of the turn. We’re prioritising safety while also considering the long-term regulations,” Mottram added.
As seen during FP and Qualifying, the 2025 F2 Australian GP promises to be a thrilling race. However, the lingering safety concerns at Turn 6 indicate that Albert Park’s evolution is far from over.
