System One F1 – Australian Grand Prix – Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia – March 16, 2025 McLaren’s Lando Norris celebrates with the trophy on the rostrum after successful the Australian Grand Prix together with second positioned Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen and third positioned Mercedes’ George Russell REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy
MELBOURNE–McLaren’s Lando Norris swept to victory in a moist and wild Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, holding off defending champion Max Verstappen in a white-knuckle end to a System One season-opener suffering from crashes and security automobiles.
Mercedes’ George Russell was third on the slippery Albert Park circuit the place solely 14 of the 20 automobiles completed within the treacherous circumstances.
Norris, the pre-season favourite for the drivers’ title, began the System One season as he completed the final at Abu Dhabi, with victory from pole.
READ: F1: Lando Norris edges Piastri for pole at Australian Grand Prix
The win ended Verstappen’s future on the high of the championship standings relationship again to Might 2022.
Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri began second on the grid however completed ninth, his goals of changing into the primary dwelling driver to assert victory or a comfort podium ending with a skid into the grass.
System One F1 – Australian Grand Prix – Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia – March 16, 2025 McLaren’s Lando Norris celebrates with teammates after successful the Australian Grand Prix REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy
Norris, who claimed his first win in Melbourne and the fifth of his profession, mentioned it had been a troublesome race with Verstappen respiration down his neck.
“It was wonderful. Robust race, particularly with Max behind me,” he added.
“I used to be pushing, particularly within the final two laps. It was a bit of bit tense, not going to lie.
READ: F1: New McLaren feels just like final 12 months’s, says Lando Norris
“This time we acquired it proper and ended on high so I’m joyful.”
Lewis Hamilton’s debut for Ferrari proved a moist squib with the Briton ending tenth, two locations behind teammate Charles Leclerc.
Nevertheless it was an encouraging day for Williams, with Alex Albon ending fourth after Mercedes’ 18-year-old rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli was demoted to fifth as a consequence of a five-second penalty for an unsafe launch from the pit.
SAFETY CARS
System One F1 – Australian Grand Prix – Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia – March 16, 2025 RB’s Isack Hadjar after crashing out throughout the formation lap earlier than the race REUTERS/Mark Peterson
The race was held up for quarter-hour after debutant Isack Hadjar misplaced management within the formation lap at flip two and rear-ended his Racing Bulls automobile right into a wall.
Together with his rear wing bent off form and his race over earlier than it started, the unhurt Frenchman was in tears as his automobile was hauled away by a crane.
Whereas Norris had a clear begin, Piastri was skidding left and proper on the first flip, permitting Verstappen to roar previous him on the skin.
Australian rookie Jack Doohan was gone quickly after the restart, crashing his Alpine at flip six on the primary lap to set off the protection automobile as his father Mick, the motorcycling nice, seemed on in disbelief from the workforce storage.
The drama continued as Williams driver Carlos Sainz spun uncontrolled at flip 14 throughout the security automobile’s deployment.
READ: F1: Mercedes chief says not seeking to signal Max Verstappen for 2026
When the observe was cleared of hazard, Norris held Verstappen at bay as Piastri nipped on the Dutchman’s heels.
The entrance three’s order held till lap 16 when Verstappen locked a entrance brake and veered extensive to permit Piastri to grab again second.
Piastri, with extra tempo than his teammate, had Norris in his sights however was ordered to carry place by the McLaren storage till a rain bathe handed and the observe dried.
Twice world champion Fernando Alonso grew to become the fourth automobile knocked out when he veered off observe at flip seven on lap 34 and crashed, bringing out the protection automobile once more.
Norris and Piastri pitted to vary to laborious tyres however one other rain bathe wreaked havoc 10 laps later, as Piastri skidded into gravel then ended up within the grass.
He managed to reverse out and re-enter the observe however his race was successfully over.
Crimson Bull’s Liam Lawson and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto then crashed out in fast succession, triggering a 3rd security automobile deployment.
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Although that gave Verstappen a final crack at reeling in Norris, the Briton confirmed nice composure to carry the relentless Dutchman at bay and land the primary blow within the championship forward of spherical two in China.
