Lando Norris kicked off the 2025 F1 season in style with his first-ever Albert Park victory in a drama-filled, rain-hit showdown at the Australian Grand Prix – fending off a late charge from reigning champion Max Verstappen.
The McLaren driver survived multiple safety car interruptions to take the win by less than a second. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut turned into a frustrating slog. The seven-time world champion could only manage 10th place, battling constant radio chatter from the Ferrari pit wall as he struggled to find pace.
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Starting from pole, Norris initially had to contend with Oscar Piastri, who was lighting up the timesheets with fastest laps before McLaren issued team orders to hold position. However, as the rain intensified, Piastri’s home race hopes took a hit—literally. A spin at the penultimate corner on lap 44 dropped him down the order.
He managed to recover to ninth, overtaking Hamilton on the last lap for a couple of consolation points. Verstappen, starting from third, capitalized on Piastri’s misfortune and a well-timed safety car to slot into second place. George Russell secured a strong third for Mercedes, marking his first podium since Las Vegas last season.
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“I knew I had a good pace, but I made one mistake in turn six and he got me in the DRS,” Norris admitted post-race. “The DRS around here is probably like a second or something, so that allowed it to keep staying within that second.”
McLaren’s win also saw them surpass Ferrari as the most successful constructor in Melbourne, with 12 victories. Further down the order, Williams had a mixed outing—Alex Albon delivered his best result since 2020, but new recruit Carlos Sainz’s race ended before it really began, crashing out on the opening lap.
Mercedes had plenty to celebrate, with Russell’s podium and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli storming through the field from 16th to finish fifth. Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll also thrived in the tricky conditions, climbing from 13th to sixth.
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Ferrari, tipped as a title contender, left Melbourne with little to show for it—just five points, thanks to Charles Leclerc’s eighth-place finish and Hamilton scraping into the top ten. The Scuderia now faces a critical test as the grid heads to China.
The chaotic race saw multiple retirements, including Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar on the formation lap and Alpine’s Jack Doohan crashing out moments after the start. The treacherous wet conditions later claimed Fernando Alonso, Liam Lawson, and Gabriel Bortoleto, with only 14 drivers making it to the finish.
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