Lando Norris held off reigning champion Max Verstappen to secure victory at the 2025 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, which kicked off the season with dramatic accidents and challenging weather conditions. The race, marked by six separate incidents, unfolded around the streets of Melbourne’s Albert Park, providing fans with excitement and thrill from start to finish.
Norris's impressive performance put him firmly at the front of the field as he navigated the tricky wet/dry/wet conditions, starting strong and maintaining his lead against teammate Oscar Piastri until the circuit dried and slicks could be used. The British driver adeptly tackled the challenges presented by the unpredictable weather and moments of frantic racing.
"To start the season off like this, to start it off with a win, is good enough – but to do it in such a stressful race, one where it's so easy to make a mistake, is great," Norris stated, reflecting on the pressure he faced throughout the race. His victory marked his fifth career win and means he leads the championship standings for the first time—making him the first McLaren driver to do so since Lewis Hamilton after the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix.
Notably, this season-opening victory also ended Verstappen's staggering 1,029-day streak of continuously leading the Drivers' Championship, which had lasted 63 races since March 2022. Despite the disappointment of not taking the win, Verstappen expressed satisfaction by finishing second, claiming, "I'm very happy to be second here. It's basically one place higher than we should have been. And it's 18 more points than I had last year at this track!" This sentiment came after Red Bull struggled with overall performance as they looked for solutions to compete effectively against McLaren.
Oscar Piastri, a local favorite, had hoped for more after leading early on but was regrettably forced to settle for ninth place. Following Norris closely and making strides to close the gap, he unfortunately spun off the track after misjudging conditions, drawing considerable disappointment. "I tried to push a bit too much, I guess… it was really difficult to judge just how slippery it's going to be," Piastri explained post-race.
Emerging from the chaos of the race was Kimi Antonelli, who made history by becoming the youngest driver to score points on his debut by finishing fourth after starting from sixteenth. His spectacular performance included successfully managing the tumultuous conditions to his favor, showcasing both skill and composure. Post-race, Antonelli expressed his satisfaction, stating, "That was an incredibly eventful race. The conditions were super tricky out there… but I think we did a good job as a team. To come home P4, having started P16, is really positive." His accomplishment as the second-youngest points scorer behind Verstappen adds to the excitement around his future prospects.
Third place went to George Russell, who also marked his first significant result for Mercedes during the season opener, acknowledging the importance of team efforts. "The pace of the car was enough for us to fight for the podium, but we know we've got to find more speed if we want to challenge McLaren," he noted.
Alex Albon shone as well, driving Williams to fifth place, which stands as the team's best result since the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Lance Stroll took sixth place, capturing his first top 10 finish since mid-2024, with Nico Hulkenberg finishing seventh for Sauber, marking advancements for both drivers and their respective teams.
This eventful race saw various accidents claim several drivers early on. Isack Hadjar failed to start due to colliding with the wall during the formation lap, causing delays right from the start. Jack Doohan, during his second grand prix, also crashed the Alpine on the opening lap. Carlos Sainz suffered spinning out by the end of the first lap and was followed by Fernando Alonso, who was involved in yet another crash shortly after.
The rain returned late, significantly impacting the latter stages of the race, resulting in crashes for Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto as their races ended prematurely. Bortoleto, battling brake issues, was forced to retire after hitting the wall, leaving only 14 finishers at the end, the fewest since the 2023 Grand Prix.
Among the grid, drivers from lower teams were able to make their mark through cautious and strategic racing. Both Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman from Haas struggled throughout the race, finishing well down the order, expressing disappointment at their performance and acknowledging areas for improvement.
The Australian Grand Prix race weekend, known for its vibrant atmosphere among fans and competitors alike, delivered the thrilling spectacle of motorsport, opening the 2025 Formula 1 season on a high note for McLaren, all eyes now turn to the next race.