Australia

Australia 2025

Free Practice 1

Free Practice 2

Free Practice 3

Qualifying

Race

Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit

Homepage - Australian GP 2025

Formula 1 Pre-Season Testing is here! Just like in 2024, this season the teams are limited to just three days of running, with Atlassian Williams Racing splitting the track time between Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.

With testing set to begin on Wednesday 26th February, teams will be putting their new challengers through their paces ahead of the first race of the season. If you’re planning on tuning in, you’ll hear plenty of buzzwords over the three days of coverage – but do you know what they mean?

Don’t fret! We’ve put together a handy quick-fire glossary of some of the key terms you are likely to hear this week.

A significant lack of grip on track early in the day due to a lack of running. This will be extremely prominent in the opening hours of the first day.

An airflow measuring device that attaches to an F1 car. These come in a variety of sizes, from ones that will be clearly visible, to smaller ones that will be tucked away in hard to reach places.

Alex Albon runs Aero Rakes on the FW46 in 2024 Pre-Season Testing.

A tactic used to hide the true pace of a car. Whilst no actual sandbags are used, teams might opt to run their cars well below their maximum potential.

A section of turbulent air created by a driver ahead. This makes it difficult for the car running immediately behind, despite the newer generation of cars being designed to follow at close quarters.

A bright paint used to monitor airflow patterns on a car. This gives aerodynamicists a clear visualisation of how the air is travelling as it passes across the bodywork.

Flo Vis paint in action at the 2024 Pre-Season Test.

A first lap where a driver checks the standard car functions. This is normally run at the very start of a session, where a driver pulls out of the pits and returns before opening a lap.

A term for ensuring real life data syncs up with the simulations. All the teams have already run thousands of kilometres with their new cars in their state-of-the-art simulators.

A lap where a team deliberately unleashes the true power of its car. Topping the timesheets going into the season always looks good, but in years gone by some teams have pushed it all the way, by running super light and deploying as much power as possible. It’s a tactic rarely deployed in this modern era of F1.

A testing programme that sees the team set the car up as if it’s a race. These will often the driver carry out long stints, as if it was a race, to get a better understanding of how their car operates in a race scenario.

Shop our 2025 Team Kit...

What is flo vis paint? What does sandbagging mean in F1? And what are aero rakes? This is your guide to Formula 1 testing buzzwords.

Get to grips with F1 Pre-Season Testing Terminology

You’ll hear plenty of buzzwords over the next few days, but what do they mean?

Get to grips with F1 Testing Terminology

Find out what’s coming up over the next month

Every date you need to know about in March

See how three members of our Academy fared over the past seven days

Academy Report: Browning, Bondarev and Matsui in Action

Just how far could 2,137km get you? Read on to find out...

Our 2025 Testing Mileage in Context

Join Carlos Sainz for a lap around the Bahrain International Circuit in the Atlassian Williams Racing FW47

WATCH: Onboard with Carlos in Bahrain

Alex Albon rounds off three days of running with 137 laps on a productive final day at the Bahrain International Circuit

REPORT: Testing Complete with 395 Laps Logged

Must-See

LATEST

Start now

Pick a helmet and number to display your Atlassian Williams Racing fandom to the world!

Make it yours

Shop Team Kit

Shop Lego

250303_MS_SBS_TeamKitLego

Shop Now

Collectibles

LEGO® Speed Champions Williams Racing FW46 F1 Race Car

View All

LEGO® Icons Williams Racing FW14B & Nigel Mansell

Shop Collectibles

Williams Racing invites you to join us behind-the-scenes of a Formula 1 race day held at our Experience Centre in Grove, United Kingdom.

Book Now 

Join us for Race Day Experiences

Download Exclusive Team Driver Cards

Hear from Alex Albon after he recorded 137 laps of running on the final day of Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain

WATCH: Alex Reflects on Testing

Hear from CS55 after he wrapped his time in the FW47 at testing by topping the timesheets on Day 2

WATCH: Carlos' Testing Debrief

All Videos

VIDEOS

Flick through shots from our final day of Testing ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season opener

IN PHOTOS: Alex wraps our Pre-Season Testing

Carlos had a full day behind the wheel of the FW47 on the second day of Pre-Season Testing

IN PHOTOS: Day 2 in Bahrain

Browse through shots from Bahrain of the first day of Pre-Season Testing in 2025

IN PHOTOS: 2025 Testing Begins

Featured Photo Galleries

PHOTO GALLERIES

Atlassian Williams Racing is one of the world’s leading Formula 1 teams. It exists purely to race in the top echelon of motor racing.

Official Home of Atlassian Williams Racing

DAY 1 : 
Carlos Sainz - P5 - 1:30.955 - 68 laps (PM)
Alex Albon - P9 - 1:31.573 - 63 laps (AM)

Find out what to expect from three-days of Pre-Season Testing in Bahrain with our handy guide...

TESTING IS
UNDERWAY

home

Sign up to officially become a member of the team as we embark on the 2024 Formula 1 season.