F1 Takeaways: McLaren’s Lando Norris picks up where he left off in chaotic season-opening Australian GP
McLaren’s Lando Norris converted from pole position and fended off four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull by less than a second to take the checkered flag at the Australian Grand Prix. Jonathan Brazeau has takeaways from the season-opener.
How’s that for entertainment and for the first time in 63 races, there’s a new leader at the top of the Formula One drivers’ standings.
McLaren’s Lando Norris fended off four-time reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull by less than a second to take the checkered flag during Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Norris, who earned his fifth career win, converted from pole position just as he had to finish the 2024 campaign in Abu Dhabi. With a new season now underway, Norris and McLaren have picked up where they left off to set the pace and the tone for 2025.
Norris and McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri delivered a message early by locking out the front row during qualifying but with wet and windy weather in the forecast, anything could (and did) happen, especially with Verstappen starting right behind them in third.
As Norris pulled away at the start, Melbourne’s own Piastri, who was looking to become the first homegrown driver to win the Australian GP since it was added to the F1 calendar in 1985, had a bit of a wobble during the chaotic opening lap that allowed Verstappen to slip into P2 and split the McLarens.
Piastri patiently waited for his opportunity though and pounced on Lap 18 after Verstappen locked up to retake the position. The McLarens looked to be no match as within seven laps they had already sailed away to the tune of a 10-second advantage over Verstappen.
McLaren was aiming for its milestone 50th 1-2 finish with its only competition looking to be itself. Piastri was initially told to hold position, shades of last year’s papaya rules, until he was allowed to race Norris, which could have been trouble considering the track wasn’t exactly dry. McLaren’s head-to-head battle was short-lived though and playtime was over as Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso crashed into the wall on Lap 34 to bring out the yellow flag and bunch up the field, bringing Verstappen and others back into their rearview mirrors.
After returning to green, the rain also resumed as it became a cat-and-mouse chase of who would blink first and pit. Box too early and you run the risk of not capitalizing on a red flag, as others can then change tires without losing position while you’re now stuck at the back of the pack. McLaren knows that one all too well as it cost them last year in Sao Paulo. Wait too late and you could be the one causing the red flag with your car binned.
The timing worked out for Norris here, but not for Piastri. Both went off the track near the penultimate turn on Lap 44, however, Norris recovered and headed straight to the nearby pits while Piastri spun out to bring out the yellow flag as he plummeted down the field.
Piastri fought back to salvage a ninth-place finish although it was little consolation considering a podium was in the cards at his home race.
As others pitted, Norris reclaimed the lead with the race returning to green with six laps remaining and Verstappen now breathing down his neck. Verstappen closed within a second during the final laps but even with DRS couldn’t get past Norris.
A well-deserved win for Norris, who now finds himself at the top of the table for the first time in his career. He might get used to it but shouldn’t get too comfortable just yet with a long season ahead.
GRANDE, KIMI
Mercedes driver George Russell rounded out the podium in third and what a dazzling debut for rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli as the 18-year-old finished fourth after qualifying 16th. Antonelli was classified fifth initially due to a five-second time penalty for an unsafe release in the pits, however, it was later overturned.
Although Antonelli had his own “it’s my first day” moment when he spun around early in the race, unlike some of his rookie counterparts, he avoided attrition and remained on the track.
Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar’s debut ended before it even began. Hadjar qualified as the highest of the rookie class in 11th but crashed out during the formation lap. The long walk back to the paddock is a lonely one, and Hadjar was consoled along the way by Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony.
At least Alpine’s Jack Doohan started the race, but he didn’t last much longer as he spun into the wall on the opening lap.
Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Red Bull’s Liam Lawson also found the wall late in the race as Antonelli and Haas’ Ollie Bearman, who was the last car across the line in 14th, remained the only two rookies to finish the race. Welcome to F1, lads.
Check this out: McLaren leads the constructors’ with the win, but Mercedes is level on points.
HEADACHES FOR HAMILTON
Never change, Ferrari. With Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the top of the charts, Ferrari waited too long to call its drivers in for their final pit stops.
That shuffled them down to ninth and 10th, respectively, and Leclerc nudged his way past Hamilton on the restart to flip positions. Both got by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, however, Hamilton lost a place to charging Piastri on the final lap.
It wasn’t the ideal start for Hamilton in his highly anticipated debut with Ferrari as he seeks a record-breaking eighth world championship. It also has to sting to see his former team, Mercedes, finish well ahead.
And yes, you saw that correctly in the constructors’ standings above as Ferrari’s engine customer Kick Sauber scored more points than them with Nico Hulkenberg finishing seventh.
But the head-scratching moment came when Leclerc asked if there was a leak in his car, to which he received this gem of a reply: “Must be the water.”
Leclerc’s response was priceless: “Let’s add that to the words of wisdom.”
Ferrari fans, repeat after me: It’s just one race, it’s just one race.
IS WILLIAMS FOR REAL?
Williams driver Alex Albon finished fifth to earn 10 points, almost matching his entire total from last season (which he would have had he remained in fourth before Antonelli’s penalty was overturned).
Do you need a moment to process that? OK, Williams had shown great pace during pre-season testing in Bahrain and both Albon and new teammate Carlos Sainz qualified in the top 10 but it’s still impressive to see in an actual race.
It’s a shame that Sainz, who won the Australian GP last year with Ferrari, wasn’t able to show what he’s capable of in the Williams car as he crashed out at the final turn on the opening lap. Oh what could have been?
CAN CON
There’s something about the Australian Grand Prix that brings out the best in Lance Stroll. The Canadian driver’s best result in each of the previous two seasons came at the Australian Grand Prix, finishing fourth in 2023 and sixth in 2024.
Stroll, who started 13th, matched his result from last season to start 2025 on the right foot.
The wet weather also helped Stroll snap an 11-GP points drought. Could this be the beginning of something good?
UP NEXT
What an exciting start to the season and fans don’t have to wait long for round two with the Chinese Grand Prix on tap next weekend in Shanghai.
