Chaos reigned at the 2025 Australian Grand Prix as local hopes took a severe blow with Australian drivers Oscar Piastri and Jack Doohan both crashing out under treacherous weather conditions. Amid heavy downpours, McLaren's Lando Norris clinched the victory, marking a successful start to the season.
The race was held on March 16 at Albert Park, Melbourne, and started later than the scheduled 3 PM due to earlier torrential rain. Despite the rain clearing up just before the race, the track remained slippery, leading to dramatic consequences for multiple drivers.
Jack Doohan, who was making his home GP debut as part of Alpine, crashed on the very first lap. Starting from 14th on the grid, Doohan lost control through Turn 6 when he accidentally dipped his wheel onto the painted white line. "I lost it on the 3rd to 4th gear upshift," said Doohan, reflecting on the incident. "Unfortunately this one has big consequences, but I've definitely learnt and I'm going to ..." His unfortunate exit sparked the first safety car of the race, highlighting the challenging conditions faced by the drivers.
While Doohan exited early, the race was not without hope for local fans as Oscar Piastri, driving for McLaren, aimed to break a long-standing drought for Australian winners since 1978. Piastri had shown promising form, having qualified for pole position only to be denied by his teammate Norris by eight-hundredths of a second. The anticipation heightened as both McLaren drivers led the front from the start.
Nonetheless, disaster struck for Piastri on lap 44 when he also spun out of control, slipping off the track and thwarting his chance for what could have been his maiden GP win. This unfortunate twist of fate left Piastri with frustration and disappointment, as he was fighting not only for his own reputation but to end the lengthy wait for Australian drivers on the podium.
Following Piastri's crash, the race resumed with Norris maintaining his lead over Max Verstappen, who captured second place after overtaking Piastri before the incident. Behind them, George Russell of Mercedes secured third, finishing strong amid the chaos.
The race saw several safety car deployments due to numerous incidents. Alongside Doohan's crash, Isack Hadjar also met his fate during the formation lap, crashing his Racing Bulls car. Veteran driver Fernando Alonso experienced his own misfortune when he collided with the wall on lap 34, causing significant damage to his Aston Martin and leading to another safety car being deployed.
Oliver Oakes, Alpine’s team principal, expressed his support for Doohan notwithstanding the crash. He praised Doohan's previous performances but also acknowledged the pressure he faces to excel, especially with competition from reserve drivers like Franco Colapinto. “I feel for him, because at the end of the day, all the noise was brought on from what we did,” Oakes stated, emphasizing the need for Doohan to deliver results and learn from his mistakes.
Despite the setbacks, both Piastri and Doohan were noted for their potential before the race. The day started on a high note for fans eager to see local talent compete, but weather mixed with rookie nerves spelled disaster. Doohan, accepting responsibility, remarked, "I didn’t want it to happen, but it has; I’ve accepted it and I’m not really looking for excuses." He acknowledged the need to improve and bounce back, stating, "It seems we had a spike in RPM when I’ve upshifted to 4th... it’s back to the drawing board.”
The repeated weather challenges severely impacted race conditions and performance throughout, affecting many drivers. Williams' Carlos Sainz also ended up crashing at the start indicating how tough the conditions were as he joined Norris, Verstappen, and Russell on the podium after the race concluded.
Piastri’s aspirations to deliver the first Australian win since 1978 were tragically cut short, causing heartbreak among his fans who had watched him rise through the ranks. The weather delivered what felt like a dagger blow to the Australian, preventing what could have been the crowning achievement of his young career.
Following the chaotic events of the day, Lando Norris celebrated on the podium, victorious on what was not only the opening race of the 2025 season but also marked another notch for McLaren to continue their resurgence. Amid the lessons learned on this day, rookies Piastri and Doohan will undoubtedly carry the weight of expectation as they move forward, with all eyes on them as the Formula One circuit progresses to the next challenge.