Lando Norris saved his cool in a rain-hit and incident-packed season-opening Australian Grand Prix Sunday to edge world champion Max Verstappen with Lewis Hamilton tenth on his Ferrari debut.
The pole-sitting Briton took the chequered flag by lower than a second from the Dutchman, with Mercedes’ George Russell third after a chaotic race in Melbourne that noticed three drivers crash earlier than the top of the primary lap.
With the protection automotive repeatedly compelled into motion after a slew of accidents on the moist Albert Park circuit, Norris held on to clock a fifth grand prix win and second in a row after topping the rostrum on the remaining race of 2024 in Abu Dhabi.
RB rookie Isack Hadjar, Alpine’s Jack Doohan and Williams’ Carlos Sainz — final yr’s winner — all failed to complete the primary lap on a monitor made treacherous by earlier torrential rain.
Norris got here into the season as favorite for the 2025 drivers’ title and cemented his standing as the person to beat.
“It was wonderful, a high race, particularly with Max behind me. I used to be pushing, particularly the final two laps — it was a little bit bit anxious, not going to lie,” stated Norris.
“Difficult situations, however there are those which can be gratifying and we ended up on high so I am blissful.”
Verstappen, who’s aiming to turn into solely the second driver to win 5 straight world titles after Michael Schumacher, was within the hunt early however an uncharacteristic error on lap 18 dented his possibilities till one other security automotive put him again within the body.
“It was a troublesome race, however on the finish it was enjoyable,” stated the Dutch star.
“It was pushing, preventing for the win however I am simply blissful to convey it dwelling, rating good factors and it is a good begin for us.”
Within the unpredictable situations, with rain on-and-off, Williams’ Alex Albon was an encouraging fourth forward of Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli on his debut.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was sixth forward of Nico Hulkenberg in a Sauber.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc got here eighth, with Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri and Hamilton rounding out the highest 10.
Whereas torrential rain eased for the principle occasion, the tough situations have been rammed dwelling when Hadjar skidded and hit the wall on the formation lap and was out earlier than the race even began.
The Frenchman, on his debut, left the monitor clearly distraught.
The beginning was aborted and when the inexperienced lights lastly got here on, Norris, on intermediate tyres, made a clear bounce and saved his place on the first nook.
– Max stress –
Verstappen additionally had a flying begin and handed Piastri to go second whereas Leclerc moved up two locations to fifth.
However the race was interrupted minutes later when Doohan ploughed into the wall, then the skilled Sainz did the identical on his Williams debut.
They restarted after a security automotive with Norris holding his spot forward of Verstappen and with Piastri they started pulling away from fourth-placed Russell.
With the monitor drying, the hole to Russell was eight seconds by lap 13.
However along with his tyres beginning to put on, Verstappen brushed the gravel on lap 18 and Piastri flashed previous again into second.
Norris and Piastri powered 18 seconds forward of the Dutchman earlier than Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin into the wall on lap 34 and the protection automotive got here out once more.
All groups used the chance to make their pit stops with Norris and Piastri rising on hards and Verstappen on mediums.
After the protection automotive peeled off, Norris flew right into a two-second lead earlier than Piastri, pushing arduous, skidded onto the grass to drop down the sphere as Verstappen powered previous.
However once more a security automotive was required when Purple Bull’s Liam Lawson spun, with Norris, Verstappen and Russell the highest three on the restart with seven laps left.
Verstappen pressed Norris arduous for the win after they obtained going once more, however the Briton was in a position to maintain on.
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