F2 | FP1 | Australian GP | Martins tops crash-filled session - Motorsport

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Formula 2 is finally underway at the Australian Grand Prix for the first FP session of the 2025 F2 season!

Ahead of the race in Melbourne, the FIA Stewards have imposed penalties on DAMS Lucas Oil, Rodin Motorsport, and TRIDENT for regulatory violations. The teams were found to have modified standard parts by drilling holes in the diffusers of cars 11, 16, 17, and 23 to install air pressure sensors, breaking multiple FIA regulations. Each car was fined €10,000, and all team cars will face 10-place grid penalties for both Melbourne races.

Green light for FP

The lights went green and the drivers made their way on to the track, under the Virtual Safety Car (VSC). With no lap times on the board just yet, the drivers drove their first exploratory laps to warm up.

As Richard Verschoor set the first benchmark time with a 1:33.530, the first few drivers were falling victim to the challenging circuit. The early part of the FP session saw Callum Voisin have a minor incident, but saved himself from going off-track. Unfortunately, Victor Martins had a minor incident in Turn 1, but he was able to recover and continue.

An FP session with 3 red flags

Alex Dunne hit the barriers and became stranded in the gravel between Turns 11 and 12, prompting officials to display the red flag.

An early red flag here as unfortunately Dunne makes contact with the barriers 🚩https://t.co/qLgyAl7LUL #F2 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/K1JjT38el1
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 13, 2025

The session paused with 29 minutes remaining on the clock. At that point, Verschoor led the field, followed by Jak Crawford, Roman Stanek, Luke Browning, and MP Motorsport teammate Oliver Goethe completing the top five.

When officials restarted the session with a green light, drivers promptly returned to the track. However, Goethe soon experienced a snap of oversteer at Turn 10, sending him through the gravel trap. His car slowed considerably on the straight approaching Turn 11 before stopping completely on track, necessitating another red flag.

Spoke too soon 😬

Another session stoppage as a snap of oversteer sends Goethe into the gravel 🚩https://t.co/qLgyAl7LUL #F2 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/qQ0MeB4J2S
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 13, 2025

Victor Martins managed to complete a lap before the second stoppage and positioned himself at the top of the timesheet for ART Grand Prix with a 1:32.687, ahead of DAMS Lucas Oil’s Kush Maini.

Track workers nearly finished clearing the substantial amount of gravel from Goethe’s incident. With only five minutes remaining in the practice session, these final moments became crucial for drivers preparing for the upcoming qualifying session.

Martins improved his time to 1:32.587 before yet another red flag appeared.

In separate incidents, Arvid Lindblad spun into the barriers at Turn 10, while Amaury Cordeel stopped his car before Turn 13. Officials subsequently cancelled the remainder of the session.

And a third red flag rounds off a disrupted session as Lindblad and Cordeel are both off track in two separate incidents ❌#F2 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/55GaZqHowJ
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 13, 2025

Martins topped the severely shortened free practice, followed by Maini, Duerksen, Stanek, Crawford, Browning, Beganovic, Esterson, Montoya, and Verschoor completing the top ten.