Australian GP: ‘Spectacular’ Lando Norris win and Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari debut assessed by Martin Brundle

That was a beautiful and reassuring begin to the 2025 F1 season. We have had nice expectations for a aggressive and fascinating season, giving it loads of hype upfront, and it seems we aren’t going to be disenchanted.

Lando Norris and McLaren had a very excellent occasion all spherical. In qualifying each he and team-mate Oscar Piastri had fluffed the primary run within the top-ten shootout remaining stage, however then each delivered spectacular laps below stress within the remaining seconds to lock out the entrance row, with Norris edging pole place. Regardless of the challenges and chaos to comply with on race day, that eight-metre head begin on the grid could be pivotal for Lando.

Race day was lengthy scheduled to be moist, however the quantity of water anticipated was inconsistent amongst groups. The coastal location does not assist, and heavy rain and gusty situations disrupted the supporting races and ensured a moist observe to start out the Grand Prix.

Melbourne at all times has a minute-by-minute schedule with fixed and relentless observe motion from Thursday onwards. Which means a lot racing rubber is laid down onto a observe floor used however annually, which was then baked by excessive temperatures and sunshine. When water falls on high of that, together with the copious painted strains of this in any other case year-round public park, the resultant low grip can really feel like ice.

And so, the scene was set for a difficult race and even earlier than the beginning we noticed automobiles sliding off going to the grid, after which a distraught Isack Hadjar spinning his Racing Bull into the boundaries on the formation lap and retiring on the spot.

The resultant aborted begin could not have helped the frayed nerves on the grid or within the pit lane. Away from the eventual begin Norris simply held onto the lead, the marginally slower of the highest three away, however his hard-earned pole place saved him within the lead and in command.

Piastri held off the fast-starting Max Verstappen into flip one however each McLarens slewed wildly on the exit below energy and Verstappen was via to second. On the primary racing lap Jack Doohan was caught out by the white strains below acceleration and equipment shifting and was within the boundaries.

A security automobile was required and, throughout this Carlos Sainz, spun off his Williams merely minding his personal enterprise whereas gently accelerating and part-throttle shifting, making yet one more retirement within the boundaries and not using a full-speed racing lap accomplished.

Once we lastly received racing it quickly grew to become a three-horse race out entrance between the 2 McLaren bandits and Verstappen. The stress was intense within the excessive, however Norris stayed remarkably calm on the beginning, the various restarts after security automobiles, and along with his mirrors both stuffed with his team-mate Piastri, or Verstappen, or each.

‘My buttocks had been clenched!’

I realised half means via the race that, regardless of solely speaking about it in a dry commentary field, I used to be nervous. I had a knot in my abdomen, I used to be tense, and apologies for spoiling your day, however my buttocks had been clenched.

I do know the sensation so properly once you’re in a race and also you’re absolutely conscious that each flip of the wheel or press of a pedal can imply a crash at any time. In the midst of the evening at Le Mans doing 220mph and coming throughout a sudden rain bathe in the dead of night on slick tyres instantly springs into my thoughts scripting this.

People who managed to remain the course ought to all be applauded; it was such a problem. Even the good and smart Fernando Alonso was mugged by the emulsion of water, gravel and painted kerb, that means a heavy journey into the wall in his Aston Martin.

Then many radio calls had been heard advising drivers {that a} quick burst of heavy rain might, or might not fairly, hit the circuit. When it did, all hell broke unfastened. Each McLarens sailed off the observe and thru the grass and gravel, Norris nearly protecting it collectively and pitting for intermediate tyres, albeit having broken the aerodynamic underbody to an extent.

Piastri went additional off, saved extra velocity, and on arrival into the following tight left-hand hairpin merely slid off onto extra moist grass. He would ultimately coax it out of there in reverse gear however would lose a lap. An awesome disgrace as he was each bit in rivalry for a victory as Norris.

Pink Bull elected to maintain Verstappen out within the hope that the rain bathe was quick and sharp. On the time they’d little to lose, however electing to do the identical factor on the following lap was a big gamble too far when it comes to making an attempt to grab the lead whereas the rain saved coming.

Now although it was a two-horse race to the end on recent intermediate tyres – within the sunshine, are you able to imagine – between final yr’s two championship protagonists Norris and Verstappen.

Norris had been very quick on every restart and did so once more. However dipping a tyre within the gravel on the notorious flip six misplaced him time and Verstappen was on his tail with highly effective DRS open rear wings now out there. With very calm and sage recommendation from his engineer Will Joseph on the pit wall, Lando did not buckle within the slightest, and took a spectacular victory, successfully profitable back-to-back races after his victory in Abu Dhabi late final yr. He leads the world championship for the primary time, and it is the primary time in 1029 days that anybody apart from Max has led.

Max drove a elegant race too, however the actuality is that even in marginal situations, or if it had been dry, with out the intervention of security automobiles the race would seemingly have been dominated by the McLaren duo.

George Russell was simply out of the image all day however completed a tremendous third for Mercedes, and the primary of seemingly many podiums this yr. They’re going to want to search out some velocity to catch McLaren although.

His teenage team-mate Kimi Antonelli drove a spectacularly mature first GP. Regardless of a fast spin in flip 4 he made some nice overtakes, saved transferring ahead at a strong race tempo – typically matching Russell – and regardless of a five-second unsafe pit cease launch penalty which was later rescinded, he completed fourth. Mercedes have one other star on their arms and collectively lead the staff championship with McLaren.

It is irrelevant in fact, however each Mercs pitted very well timed and calmly for the ultimate time on lap 44.

‘Disappointing begin for Hamilton’

And on that topic, regardless of a number of glad phrases, and the explanation why he needed to study his steering wheel and different new points, Lewis Hamilton had a disappointing begin to his Ferrari profession by any metric.

Eighth on the grid behind his team-mate Leclerc, dropping out slightly within the first nook and following Alex Albon’s Williams for what appeared like an age, after which being handed across the outdoors of the quick flip 9 by a spectacularly recovering Piastri on the ultimate lap – consigning Lewis to at least one level in tenth place – was not the place he must be.

I do not perceive why Lewis was so angsty along with his engineer Riccardo Adami, who I felt was merely making an attempt to cross over related and useful info. All of it actually fell aside for Ferrari once they rolled the cube on dry tyres on a moist observe and misplaced out closely on observe place for each drivers, they usually left Australia seventh within the championship.

There have been simply 14 finishers, and in fifth place was Alex Albon, who put in an awesome efficiency for Williams all weekend, in a staff and driver line-up heading for a tremendous season.

In sixth place was Lance Stroll sealing some beneficial factors for Aston Martin in a automobile which appears to be like properly off the main tempo for now. We have seen Lance carry out very properly in moist situations earlier than and this was no completely different. Value remembering for individuals who simply write him off as a result of his dad owns the staff.

Nico Hulkenberg clearly heeded my deep and detailed recommendation on the grid as to tips on how to strategy the race, scoring some much-needed factors for the Sauber staff. One other survivor on the day, and he was first Ferrari-engined automobile house, 1.4 seconds forward of Leclerc.

Liam Lawson of Pink Bull, specifically, shall be very glad that we head instantly into one other race week in order that he can hopefully park the distress and errors he endured in Melbourne and put them proper. That staff does not do cuddles and reassuring phrases, and nor ought to they at this stage. P45s are extra their factor if you cannot maintain Verstappen at the least in view now and again.

Norris has considerably moved his psychological and driving recreation on, and a right away 23-point benefit over Piastri might show very vital, too. We wait to see his efficiency within the inevitable wheel-to-wheel fight with each Piastri and Verstappen. Keep tuned.

The F1 circus heads straight to Shanghai this week for the primary Dash weekend of the season on the Chinese language GP, with protection beginning on Friday reside on Sky Sports activities F1. Stream Sky Sports activities with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime