McLaren’s Lando Norris clinched the Australian Grand Prix in a last-lap thriller to win the first race of the season. The victory brings the first 25 points of the season for the Papayas, who started the race under the rain with a front-row lockout. It was a rainy affair in Melbourne, as the showers affected the circuit and the start of the race before challenging the drivers. From the formation lap before the start of the race till the end, the Australian GP was a spectacle. Here’s how the drivers fared before Lando Norris clinched the victory in the season opener.
Clutch Composure of Lando Norris
It was indeed an “amazing way to start the year” for Lando Norris. The British McLaren driver said this after clinching the victory in an Australian Grand Prix that had everything. The rain that preceded the race made the Albert Park Circuit wet, leading to damp conditions. This made the engineers in the pit crew change the tires before the race. Team mechanics were figuring out which tires would make an impact on winning the race.
Both Lando and his Australian teammate Oscar Piastri started on a good note. Although the McLaren pair began the race positively, the course started to dry out from the damp caused by the rain. However, torrential rains later led to both McLaren drivers slipping onto the grass patch. This proved to be costly for Oscar Piastri, who was aiming to utilize his advantage and win the Australian GP in front of his home crowd.
Twist of Fate – The Last Laps
Unfortunately, the crowd could not witness their local boy lifting the trophy on the podium. The rain proved costly for Piastri, who saw his P2 start slipping out of hand as drivers, including Max Verstappen, took advantage of the situation.
The Dutch international, who is defending his Drivers’ Championship title, was quick to capitalize and take the lead following Piastri’s slip. Lando Norris, who was in the pit lane for a tire service, also fell behind. But unlike his Australian teammate, Lando kept his composure, as he was heard saying, “don’t overpush it” during a team radio conversation.
Norris took control of the situation when Red Bull’s Verstappen was also forced to change his tires due to the mixed weather conditions. The pit lane stoppage for Verstappen helped Norris reclaim his P1. Towards the final lap, spectators in the crowd and fans watching from around the world were in for a last-lap thriller.
Verstappen was quick to come back from the pit to close in on Norris. The McLaren number #4 held his nerves and kept the defending Drivers’ champion behind him till the end. Spectators and fans stood up in the stands to witness Norris crossing the checkered flag ahead of Verstappen to earn his well-deserved victory. With the win, Norris was able to clinch the first 25 points of the season for the 2025 Drivers’ Championship as the McLaren crew celebrated ecstatically.
End Of Race Weekend
Image Credit: Formula 1 on X @F1
The race also saw the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc taking the lead. Later, the Mercedes drivers, led by George Russell, started to close the gap. His rookie Italian teammate, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, also came close, featuring in his maiden F1 race. After starting from P16, Kimi edged closer towards the final laps and reached P4. However, in the pursuit, stewards raised a five-second penalty for the debutant. They claimed that the Italian was released in the pit lane alongside Kick Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg. Kimi finished P5 in the race. His teammate George Russell secured P3, earning a podium position alongside McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
After the race, the “Silver Arrows” petitioned for a ‘Right of Review’ before Kimi Antonelli’s penalty was rescinded. This ensured Kimi securing 12 points and a P4 finish, marking a memorable debut in the land Down Under.
Meanwhile, the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton managed a top-ten finish. In a race that ultimately saw six drivers crashing out, Leclerc finished at P8 to secure four points. Meanwhile, his British veteran teammate made his debut in the SF-25 for the Prancing Horse after ending his contract with Mercedes.
Williams’ Alexander Albon was initially awarded a P4 finish but eventually slipped to P5, earning 10 crucial points. His new teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. ended up with a DNF after crashing out at the start of the race. However, the Spaniard helped his Thai teammate from the pit, as credited by team principal James Vowles.
Challenging Debut for the Rookies
Unlike Andrea Kimi Antonelli, it was not a debut to remember for Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar. The French rookie, who was set to make his debut, unfortunately crashed out of the race. The RB number #6 crashed out during the formation lap before the start of the race—a tearful early end to what could have been a debut to remember.
Image Credit: Formula 1 on X
However, this moment also provided another wholesome moment for the internet when Hadjar was comforted by none other than the father of his idol, Lewis Hamilton. Anthony Hamilton rushed to console the French debutant, and the heartwarming moment won the hearts of many on the internet.
Along with Hadjar, the race also saw rookies like Alpine’s Jack Doohan, Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, and Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto crashing out. In terms of veterans, Carlos Sainz Jr. was later joined by another Spaniard and veteran F1 driver, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.
The next race weekend takes place in China. From March 21 to March 23, the Shanghai International Circuit will host the second race of the 2025 season.
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