Lando Norris celebrated a remarkable victory at the Australian Grand Prix, navigating treacherous weather conditions and fierce competition to secure his first win of the 2025 Formula One season. In a race marked by chaos—including multiple crashes, three safety cars, and difficult track conditions—Norris managed to hold off Max Verstappen, the defending champion, to take the top spot.

Starting from pole position, Norris showcased commendable skill and composure, especially during the final laps as he fended off a late challenge from Verstappen, allowing him to dethrone his rival from the championship lead, a position Verstappen had maintained since May 2022. “It was amazing. Tough race, especially with Max behind me,” Norris remarked after his victory. “I was pushing, especially in the last two laps. It was a little bit stressful, not going to lie.” The race was fought in wet and slippery conditions at the Albert Park circuit, and only 14 out of the 20 cars made it to the finish line safely.

Mercedes' George Russell finished in third, while Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri started second but ended up in ninth place after struggling with tire choices and losing control of his car. Lewis Hamilton's debut for Ferrari did not go as planned; the seven-time world champion finished tenth and expressed frustration over his team's strategy during fast-changing weather conditions. “It was very tricky and it went a lot worse than I thought it would go,” Hamilton stated following his disappointing performance.

The race saw significant incidents as rookie drivers faced challenges on their first outing. Notably, Isack Hadjar of Red Bull crashed before the formation lap, forcing a 15-minute delay. The first lap saw Jack Doohan crash his Alpine car, further emphasizing the challenging race conditions.

Norris' triumph not only marked his fifth career victory but also came as a result of extensive preparations from McLaren over the winter. “We worked a lot over the winter to prepare for a race like this because it's where we threw away a lot of opportunities last season,” Norris noted, further indicating that the team had made considerable improvements compared to previous performances. “This time, we got it right and ended up on top.”

Looking forward, Norris acknowledged the ongoing competition, stating, “I do think we're favorites because the team has done an amazing job, but we will have races where we struggle.” As the team moves to round two in China, they will look to build on this encouraging start to the season.

Source: Channel News Asia

Source: BBC

Source: SCMP

Source: Reuters

Source: Al Jazeera