Lando Norris delivered a masterclass in a dramatic, rain-hit Australian Grand Prix, holding off Max Verstappen to claim a statement victory in Melbourne. The McLaren driver navigated treacherous conditions, late safety car drama, and a relentless challenge from the reigning world champion to secure his fifth career win.
The race was anything but straightforward. Three safety cars, an aborted start, and a sudden downpour turned the contest into a battle of strategy and survival. McLaren executed their decisions to perfection, while Ferrari’s gamble on slick tyres cost them dearly.
Lewis Hamilton, in his Ferrari debut, could only salvage 10th place after leading briefly before falling victim to the changing conditions.
Even before the lights went out, the unpredictable conditions wreaked havoc. Rookie Isack Hadjar spun his Racing Bull on the formation lap, visibly distraught as he returned to the pits. Minutes later, Alpine’s Jack Doohan crashed on the straight, bringing out the safety car, while Carlos Sainz’s Williams slid off at the final corner.
Once the race properly got underway, Norris led the pack, with Verstappen initially slotting into second. However, a mistake from the Dutchman at turn 11 allowed Oscar Piastri to reclaim the position, giving McLaren a commanding one-two. They managed their intermediate tyres brilliantly, pulling 16 seconds clear of Verstappen before a Fernando Alonso crash on lap 33 triggered the second safety car.
The crucial moment arrived on lap 44 when a sudden downpour turned the race on its head. Both McLaren drivers spun at the penultimate corner, but while Norris recovered swiftly, Piastri found himself stranded on the grass, frantically trying to reverse back onto the track.
Verstappen briefly inherited the lead after staying out on slicks, but as conditions worsened, he was forced to pit. This was when Ferrari made their costly misjudgment. Instead of reacting to the rain, they kept Hamilton and Charles Leclerc out, hoping to gain track position. It proved disastrous. Within a lap, both drivers were skating helplessly on slicks and had to pit, plummeting down the order.
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson’s Red Bull career started with heartbreak as he crashed out, while Gabriel Bortoleto, who had impressed in his Sauber debut, also lost control. The safety car was deployed again, setting up a tense five-lap shootout to the finish.
On the final restart, Norris made a strong getaway but ran slightly wide at Turn Six, allowing Verstappen to close within a second and activate DRS. The tension was palpable, but Norris kept his composure, shutting the door on any late overtaking attempts.
George Russell completed the podium for Mercedes, with 18-year-old rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli finishing an impressive fourth after an earlier penalty was overturned.
Further down, Lance Stroll salvaged sixth place for Aston Martin, ahead of Nico Hülkenberg, Leclerc, Piastri, and Hamilton.
With no time to rest, formula 1 heads to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix next weekend, where the first sprint race of the season will add another layer of unpredictability to the championship battle.
