Lando Norris kept calm in an Australian Australian Grand Prix of the season affected by the rain and with incidents on Sunday to the world champion of Edge Max Verstappen with Lewis Hamilton tenth in his debut in Ferrari.
The British Pole took the checkered flag for less than a second of the Dutchman, with George Russell de Mercedes in third place after a chaotic race in Melbourne who saw three pilots crash before the end of the first round.
With the forced security car repeatedly to the action after a series of accidents in the humid circuit of Albert Park, Norris clung to a fifth victory of the Grand Prix and second consecutive after overcoming the podium in the final race of 2024 in Abu Dhabi.
RB’s rookie Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan de Alpine and Carlos Sainz de Williams, the winner of last year, could not finish the first round on a track that was betrayed by the previous torrential rain.
Norris entered the season as the favorite for the title of the drivers of 2025 and consolidated his status as man to overcome.
“It was incredible, a superior race, especially with Max behind me. I was pressing, especially the last two laps, it was a bit stressful, I will not lie, ”said Norris.
“Difficult conditions, but there are those that are pleasant, and we end at top, so I’m happy.”
Verstappen, who aims to become the second pilot to win five consecutive world titles after Michael Schumacher, was in the early hunt, but a little characteristic error in the Vuelta 18 abolled his possibilities until another security car put it back in the frame.
“It was a difficult race, but in the end, it was fun,” said the Dutch star.
“I was pressing, fighting for victory, but I am happy to bring it home, write down good points, and this is a good start to us.”
Under the unpredictable conditions, with the rain inside and outside, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes was a revealing room in his debut, while Alex Albon de Williams was a fifth encouraging.
Lance Stroll de Aston Martin was sixth ahead of Nico Hulkenberg in a Sauber.
Charles Leclerc de Ferrari arrived eighth, with Norris teammate, Oscar Piastri and Hamilton, completed the Top 10.
Russell was happy with the third, given the circumstances.
“It was a great race to return home in P3. And well done to Lando, a career like that when you are leading is probably your worst nightmare, ”he said.
“I was enjoying it a lot, to be honest, hoping that the two boys ahead make a mistake and I could pass.”
While the torrential rain decreased for the main event, the difficult conditions stuck at home when Hadjar slipped and hit the wall on the return of the formation and left before the race began.
The beginning was aborted, and when the green lights finally lit, Norris, in intermediate tires, made a clean leap and maintained its position in the first corner.
Maximum pressure
Verstappen also had a flight start and went to Piastri to go seconds, while Leclerc climbed two places to fifth.
But the race was interrupted minutes later when Doohan crashed into the wall, then the experienced Sainz did the same in his debut in Williams.
They restarted after a security car with Norris holding their place ahead of Verstappen, and with Piasstr, they began to put aside Russell in fourth place.
With the drying of the track, the gap to Russell was eight seconds for lap 13.
But with his tires starting to wear out, Verstappen brushed the gravel in Tour 18, and Piastri went back to the second.
Norris and Piastri promoted 18 seconds ahead of the Dutchman before Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin on the wall on Tour 34, and the security car came out again.
All teams took the opportunity to make their stops in boxes, with Norris and Piasstri emerging in darts and vision in media.
After the security car took off, Norris flew to an advantage of two seconds before Piasstri, pushing hard, sliding on the grass to fall through the field while Verstappen passed.
But again, a security car was required when Liam Lawson from Red Bull turned, with Norris, Verstappen and Russell the first three in the restart with the remaining seven.
Verstappen pressed Norris for victory when they launched again, but the British could endure.
