Melbourne (dpa) – The Formula 1 season kicked off with thrilling action at the Australian Grand Prix 2025, where McLaren's Lando Norris triumphed over reigning champion Max Verstappen in chaotic, rainy conditions.
Norris celebrated his fifth career victory and took the lead in the championship standings, bringing excitement to his team and fans alike. “It was incredible, a top race,” the 24-year-old Briton exclaimed after crossing the finish line just 0.895 seconds ahead of Verstappen. “I pushed hard, especially in the last two laps – it was stressful, I must admit.”
Verstappen, who had been dominant for over 1000 days at the top of the championship, reflected on his race, noting, “I am where I expected to be. That’s 18 points more than last year here – I’ll take it.” The Dutchman managed to secure second place even as he faced tougher competition from McLaren's improved performance.
The race had its share of drama, particularly for rookie Oscar Piastri, who was aiming for his first home victory. Despite initially showing promise, Piastri suffered a spin during the race and finished ninth after being handed a team order to hold his position behind Norris earlier on. “Frustrated, I must take it on my cap,” he mentioned after the race.
Another significant story from the race was Lewis Hamilton's debut for Ferrari, which ended up being less successful than he had hoped. The seven-time world champion finished tenth and expressed disappointment with the car's performance, stating he had “absolutely no confidence” and felt the car lacked rear stability.
On the other hand, Nico Hülkenberg had a standout performance, finishing seventh and bringing more points to Sauber than they had managed throughout the entire last season. “It’s nice to score points, especially when it wasn’t expected,” he noted.
Rain played a significant role during the race, changing strategies and leading to several accidents, including Isack Hadjar crashing on the formation lap. The weather created tough conditions, which led to multiple incidents, including crashes from Jack Doohan and Carlos Sainz during the race.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli made headlines by becoming the second-youngest points scorer in Formula 1 history. Originally finishing fifth, he was promoted to fourth after Mercedes successfully protested against his earlier time penalty for unsafe release during pit stops.
With the excitement from the Australian Grand Prix, all eyes now turn to next weekend’s race set to take place in Shanghai, China, on March 21, 2025. The contrasting weather and track conditions will surely offer another set of challenges for the drivers.
The race results proved the unpredictability of Formula 1, with Norris, Verstappen, and George Russell making the podium. Meanwhile, the likes of Hülkenberg, Albon, and Leclerc offered strong performances themselves.
The complete results from the Australian GP 2025 are as follows:
- 1. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 1:27:46.138
- 2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - +0.895 seconds
- 3. George Russell (Mercedes) - +8.481 seconds
- 4. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) - +10.135 seconds
- 5. Alexander Albon (Williams) - +12.773 seconds
- 6. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) - +17.413 seconds
- 7. Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) - +18.423 seconds
- 8. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - +19.826 seconds
- 9. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - +20.448 seconds
- 10. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) - +22.473 seconds
- 11. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) - +26.502 seconds
- 12. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) - +29.884 seconds
- 13. Esteban Ocon (Haas) - +33.161 seconds
- 14. Oliver Bearman (Haas) - +40.351 seconds
- Li Lawson (Red Bull) - Crash
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) - Crash
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) - Crash
- Carlos Sainz (Williams) - Crash
- Jack Doohan (Alpine) - Crash
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) - Did not start
Norris's win at Albert Park marked McLaren's first success since Jenson Button's victory back in 2012, adding to the historical significance of the event.
With one race down and 23 still to go, the anticipation for the season continues to build. Stay tuned for coverage leading up to the next grand prix!