Lando Norris started the 2025 Formula 1 season as he finished last year by claiming victory at the chaotic Australian Grand Prix.
The Brit converted pole position as he held off a late charge from Max Verstappen to win the season-opening race. Norris has dethroned the Dutchman from the lead of the drivers’ championship – which he had held since after the 2022 Spanish Grand Prix.
| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Lando Norris |
25 |
| 2 |
Max Verstappen |
18 |
| 3 |
George Russell |
15 |
| 4 |
Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
12 |
| 5 |
Alexander Albon |
10 |
| 6 |
Lance Stroll |
8 |
| 7 |
Nico Hulkenberg |
6 |
| 8 |
Charles Leclerc |
4 |
| 9 |
Oscar Piastri |
2 |
| 10 |
Lewis Hamilton |
1 |
McLaren came into the Australian Grand Prix as the favourites after pre-season testing and proved that by locking out the front row in qualifying. Oscar Piastri was three tenths quicker than third-place Verstappen, while Norris was just under a tenth ahead of his teammate.
The 25-year-old was mostly unchallenged throughout the race except for a charge from Piastri at the midway point. McLaren deployed team orders to hold position so they could clear backmarkers.
The Aussie spun at the penultimate corner when the rain hit the circuit, sending him onto the grass and out of contention. Verstappen briefly led after Norris pitted for intermediate tyres but the latter regained control after the former pitted and held on to win the race.
A key reason for Norris’ victory was his ability to hold the lead from the start – something he desperately struggled with in 2024. With his launch off the grid in Melbourne, he proved many journalists wrong.
Lando Norris proved F1 media centre wrong with his start at the Australian Grand Prix
The McLaren driver took pole position eight times in 2024. He converted only three to victory as he struggled to hold his lead from the first lap.
Besides Singapore and Abu Dhabi, Norris lost the lead from the start on the other six occasions he took pole position – although he did regain his lead at Zandvoort and took victory. With this poor issue costing Norris dearly in the title fight, many believed it would strike again in Melbourne.
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According to journalist Ian Parkes, the F1 media centre felt Norris would ‘blow it again’ and lose his lead – but he proved everyone wrong as he held on and bridged a gap to the field with teammate Piastri until the rain hit.
“I think we saw a little bit of a new Lando in this particular Grand Prix. As you say, huge pressure after that track limits violation in the first lap in Q3, nailed it brilliantly on the second lap,” said Parkes via RacingNews365.
“And then we saw as well last year he had problems with his starts. Many people discussing in the media centre thinking: ‘Ah he’s going to blow it again, wet weather conditions, Oscar and Max are probably going to get him’.
“Well, do you know what? He nailed the start today, controlled the race relatively comfortably.”
Lando Norris’ start at the Australian Grand Prix proves he has found a new gear ahead of 2025
Norris lost the 2024 title to Verstappen by 63 points. The Brit had the faster car for much of the season but failed to outscore his rival when the RB20 was inferior to the MCL38.
The 25-year-old lacked the ruthlessness on track to battle with Verstappen in 2024. Toto Wolff says Norris will have learned a lot from the Dutchman and how to go about challenging him in 2025.
Getting a good launch off the grid and maintaining his lead is clearly a weakness he has worked on in the off-season. Converting three pole positions to wins from a possible eight is simply not good enough to fight for a title.
Martin Brundle thinks Norris ‘stepped up a gear’ over a winter – he certainly proved that by only losing his lead during the pit stops in the tricky wet weather conditions.
Heading straight into the Chinese Grand Prix with drier conditions forecast than Melbourne, it will be interesting to see if the Brit can hold on to his advantage.
