Lando Norris notched a victory in extremely wet conditions at the Australian Grand Prix, edging past the reigning champ Max Verstappen in a heart-stopping conclusion to Formula One’s opening race, which was fraught with crashes and safety car interruptions.
On the slick Albert Park track, only 14 out of 20 cars managed to cross the finish line due to the challenging conditions on Sunday.
Norris, pre-season favorite for the driver’s title, commenced the F1 season with a victory from pole position, just as he had concluded the last race in Abu Dhabi.
Despite starting a strong second on the grid, team mate Oscar Piastri‘s aspirations to be the first home driver to win or earn a podium were dashed as he skidded into the grass.
Lewis Hamilton‘s Barry debut for Ferrari fell short, concluding in 10th place, trailing behind teammate Charles Leclerc, who finished two places ahead.
Norris stated that the race was particularly demanding, especially with the pressure from Verstappen behind him, which made the last two laps especially stressful.
“It was outstanding. Such a grueling race especially with Max right behind me,” Norris remarked. “I had to push hard in the final two laps. It was quite stressful, but we succeeded and came out on top, so I’m more than happy.”
Norris now leads the F1 drivers’ championship for the first time, a historic moment for McLaren, as they haven’t led the standings since Hamilton after the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix.