Lando Norris achieved pole position.
Norris secured victory at the opening race of the Formula 1 season.
Norris has established himself as the leading competitor in the race season.
Norris demonstrated exceptional performance by surpassing Max Verstappen, effectively adapting to fluctuating weather conditions, and navigating through three safety car periods to achieve victory at the thrilling Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
“A tough race, especially with Max behind me. I was pushing. The last two laps were a little bit stressful: I’m not going to lie,” Norris said. “But an amazing way to start the year. A tough one because we went off, made some big mistakes. I went through the gravel, a lot of damage. Just tricky conditions, but these are the ones that are enjoyable, fun, and unpredictable. This time, we got it right and ended up on top. So, I’m very happy.”
Norris maintained his lead against the fast-approaching Red Bull of Verstappen, finishing just 0.8 seconds ahead of the reigning world champion.
Ultimately, Norris secured the victory, followed closely by Verstappen in second place, while Mercedes driver George Russell finished in third.
“It was a difficult race, of course, but at the end, it was fun. Lando had a little moment on entry of six, so he lost a lot of momentum there,” Verstappen said. “That’s why I got close, and then I got DRS. I got close but it’s very hard to pass around here. It was fun those last laps, you know, pushing at least, when you’re fighting for the win. I’m just very happy to bring it home, score good points. This is, let’s say, a decent starting point for us.”
Norris started well from the pole position, and during the intervals between adverse weather conditions, he and his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri distanced themselves from the competition. However, both drivers experienced an off-track incident on Lap 44 as the rain intensified, which thwarted McLaren’s opportunity for a one-two finish. Piastri lost control at the final corner and subsequently fell down the rankings.
Williams driver Alex Albon secured a fifth-place finish, while Italian teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli, filling in for Lewis Hamilton, finished fourth for Mercedes. Antonelli initially received a five-second penalty from the stewards for an unsafe release, which resulted in him dropping to fifth place. However, this penalty was subsequently overturned after a successful appeal by Mercedes.
“Tt was a great race to come home in P3. I just want to say a massive well done to Lando,” Russell said. “I think in a race like that, when you’re leading, it’s probably your worst nightmare. But he did a great job. Also, really well under Kimi to come back to P5, which is a really impressive first race. For us, it wasn’t our strongest weekend, but to end up on the podium—super happy. Yeah, let’s see what we can do next week.”
The debut of Hamilton at Ferrari has garnered significant attention leading up to the new season; however, the seven-time world champion finished in 10th place, losing a position following a remarkable maneuver by Piastri, who ended the race in ninth.
Hamilton’s teammate, Charles Leclerc, concluded the race in eighth place, expressing disappointment over a spin at a critical juncture that hindered his chances for a podium finish. This occurred after Ferrari made a late strategic decision in response to rapidly changing conditions that nearly paid off.
Next stop, Shanghai.
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