Norris starts 2025 on top in Australia
That race quite literally had everything: a drying track, patches of rain, and all sorts of chaos scattered throughout. But Norris and McLaren navigated the changeable conditions with confidence and firm decisions, helping them secure their first win of the season.
That’s not to say they had it all their own way, however. The McLaren duo were able to extend their lead to over 16 seconds before a safety car for Alonso’s crash brought the field back together. Rain then saw both drivers run off in the last sector, with Piastri carrying more pace, causing him to spin off into the grass and pirouette to a stop, resulting in him falling a lap down. In the end, the Aussie finished in P9 after a strong charge in the final few laps, but it was an extremely disappointing end to the race for the home hero.
Verstappen brought his Red Bull home in P2, with his best friend, George Russell, finishing just behind him in P3. It was a strong day for Mercedes, with Antonelli finishing in 4th place. It was an extremely impressive drive by the rookie, who is known for his ability in the wet, carving his way through the pack, even after spinning early on due to dipping a tyre in the grass. He did drop down to P5 behind Albon at the chequered flag due to a time penalty, but after a successful appeal from Mercedes, his well-deserved 4th place was reinstated.
Alex Albon finished in a lofty P5 for the resurgent Williams Team, a result that was earned on pace, as well as some good fortune. His teammate, Carlos Sainz, didn’t fare so well, crashing in the final corner behind the safety car in the opening laps. However, Williams Team Principal James Vowles credited Sainz for his integral part in the success of the Williams strategy during the race, demonstrating the importance of teamwork. Following Albon across the line was Stroll in the Aston Martin and Hulkenberg in the Kick Sauber. The P7 finish for the German means the Sauber Team has scored more points after one race this year than they did in the entirety of the 2024 season! Crazy how things can change, but it shows the importance of being in the right place at the right time.
Now for a word on Ferrari… yikes. A strategy blunder from the team meant that when the rain intensity increased, they were on the wrong tyres. Eventually, behind the safety car, they pitted, dropping to the tail end of the top 10, where they had spent most of the day, in all honesty. In the final laps, they were unable to make any meaningful forward progress, with Hamilton dropping to 10th after an audacious, yet brilliant, overtake by Piastri, who stole 9th place on the last lap. That sort of sums up their day—lots of what-ifs. Hamilton was stuck behind Albon for most of the race, and Leclerc’s race engineer confirmed to him at one point that water is, indeed, wet. Confidence-inspiring stuff!
Apart from Antonelli’s heroics, it was a pretty bad day for the rookies. Isack Hadjar didn’t even complete a corner on the formation lap before crashing into the barriers. His devastation was clear to see, with Anthony Hamilton coming out of the Ferrari garage to console him. As for the other home hero, Jack Doohan, he managed half a lap before his Alpine dived into the barriers after being caught out by a ‘power surge’ from the engine. Gabriel Bortoleto managed more than one lap, nearly completing the full race distance, until rain started coming down in the closing stages. He lost control on the slick tyres and skated into the barriers, with his rear-right suspension failing in an unusual manner. Liam Lawson suffered a similar fate to Bortoleto, finding the Turn 1 barrier after spinning in the rain on the mediums and destroying his car.
Ollie Bearman did finish the race but was in last place after what has been a torrid weekend for the Brit. All of these mistakes, though, are part of being a rookie, with everyone—including race winner Norris—learning from today. It is extremely unfortunate that the weather was so tricky for their first race, but thankfully, they are back out on track in a few days' time in China to help get them back in rhythm.
But that’s the brilliant news! F1 is back in just a week's time at the Shanghai International Circuit. McLaren will, of course, go there as favourites, but Verstappen has shown he is competitive, and I’m sure Ferrari will be stronger than they were in Melbourne, with the weather looking dry throughout the whole weekend.
As an Oscar fan, I’m breathing a sigh of relief!