The 2025 season has officially started, and Australia’s opening race was a cracker. Saturday qualifying, in sunny conditions, was dominated by McLaren as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked out the front row of the grid. Pre-season testing predictions were somewhat vindicated as Max Verstappen was only third quickest and Ferrari languished towards the backend of the top ten.
But qualifying would be only the opening salvo. Sunday’s weather prediction indicated rain, and the weather gods combined to provide just enough of a sprinkling of water to douse the race with just the right amount of drama. So treacherous were conditions that several drivers fell victim to conditions. Before the race had even started, Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar spun off and appeared inconsolable as he made his way back to the pits. Moments later, behind the safety car, Aussie rookie Jack Doohan put his Alpine in the wall without completing a single lap of racing. This was followed by Carlos Sainz dropping his Williams into the barrier on the outside of the final corner.
When racing finally did get underway Norris had things well in control. Uncharacteriscally, Verstappen made a mistake which allowed Piastri into second place. Maintaining intermediate tyres on a drying track is no easy feat and Verstappen seemed to struggle more than the two McLaren. He fell well behind until another safety car was called up to pick up the pieces of Fernando Alonso’s crashed Aston Martin.
Conditions appeared mostly stable, but the ever-looming threat of rain hung in the air, pun intended. Towards the end of the race, the promised rain emerged and threw a spanner into the works. Unfortunately, it was Piastri that came off the worse for it as he spun into the penultimate corner, dropping him back through the field. He ultimately recovered to ninth, but the damage was done.
Outside of the top three of Norris, Verstappen, and George Russell, Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli drove an impressive race to fourth. Williams underlined their pre-season form with Alex Albon in fifth with Lance Stroll sixth for Aston Martin. Nico Hulkenberg scored a handful of points for Sauber in seventh, a welcome result for a team who had struggled to register on the points table in 2024. Ferrari didn’t cover themselves in glory with yet more questionable strategy calls, which left Charles Leclerc in eighth and Lewis Hamilton in tenth.
The day belonged to Lando Norris. He delivered a masterclass in the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, showcasing a level of composure under pressure that has often been cited as his biggest weakness. In 2024, critics questioned whether Norris had the mental fortitude
to sustain a championship fight, pointing to moments where he struggled to handle high-stakes situations. But in Melbourne, he silenced those doubts with a performance that sent an emphatic message: he is ready to fight for the title.
Winning a Formula 1 championship is about far more than just driving fast. It requires the ability to absorb pressure from every angle—the competition, the conditions, and the weight of expectation. In the past, Norris has shown flashes of brilliance, but the question remained: could he maintain his composure when it mattered most? In Australia, he answered that question with a resounding yes.
From the moment the lights went out, Norris controlled the race with the poise of a seasoned champion. He fended off relentless pressure from his rivals, and remained unfazed by the unpredictability of conditions. Every challenge thrown his way was met with calm precision, a stark contrast to the moments in previous seasons where cracks had begun to show.
Yes, there are still 23 races to go in this gruelling season, and consistency will be key. But the way Norris has started his 2025 campaign is a statement of intent. If Melbourne was a glimpse of what’s to come, then the rest of the grid should take notice—Lando Norris is no longer just a contender. He is a genuine championship threat.
