Lando Norris won the Australian GP, he edged Max Verstappen in a chaotic rain-hit race. Both McLaren drivers started at the pole position but in the end, Oscar Piastri dropped down to ninth after a spin. Kimi Antonelli had the best race among rookies; he started from P16 and finished at P4.
Max Verstappen finished on P2. George Russel finished on P3 completing the podium. Williams and Aston Martin also had a decent race as Alex Albon finished in fifth and Lance Stroll finished on P6 after the second drivers of both teams got eliminated.
Ferrari’s day was far from Ideal as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished on P8 and P10 respectively. Niko Hulkenberg finished on P7 completing the top 10 of Australian GP.
Norris Starts With A Win
Norris set the tone for this race in qualifying by securing the pole position by taking advantage of his car. He led the race which was affected by wet conditions and safety cars.
At one point he slid off the track but quickly recovered and switched to intermediate tires. In the end with wet conditions and a slippery track, he held his former rival Verstappen and eventually claimed victory.
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Crashes and Safety Cars Shape the Race
After two sunny days, it was forecast for rain in Albert Park and the rain meant a chaotic race. Racing Bull’s Isac Hadajar crashed at formation lap and his race was finished before the start.
Last year’s Australian GP winner Carlos Sainz also crashed and was not able to finish the race. Other crashes included Jack Doohan (Alpine), Gabriel Borteleto (Stake Suber) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) were also unable to finish the race.
Throughout the race, multiple Safety cars were triggered which influenced the team’s strategies.
Aston Martin and Sauber’s Strong Showing
It was a great performance by Lance Stroll after Fernando Alonso was ruled out of the race and he scored points for the first time since July 2024. Stake Sauber’s Niko Hulkenburg took Sauber to P7 which is their best result since 2022.
Hamilton’s Disappointing Start at Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton’s start for Ferrari was the most awaited and followed story ahead Australian GP. Hamilton’s start with the Italian outfit was far from Ideal. He was in eighth position for most of the race and briefly led the race but delayed switching to intermediates. In the last laps, he dropped to P10 after Oscar Piastri overtook him.
At the end of the race, Hamilton said that he was still getting used to the new car.
Ferrari’s Strategy Blunders at Australian GP
For Hamilton, it was a tough day at the office, and for his teammate Charles Leclerc, things were not different. Both Ferraris stayed out on slick tires which dropped both cars down the order after pitting.
Kimi Antonelli’s Memorable Debut
On a day that most rookies would want to forget there was one who would like to cherish this for a long time. It was Mercedes Kimi Antenoelli who started from P16 and was on P4 when the chequered flag was waved. It was the phenomenal drive in uncertain conditions where the best even struggled. He scored important points for the team.
