For the first time since 2022, Max Verstappen is not leading the Formula 1 drivers’ championship after McLaren star Lando Norris won the Australian Grand Prix.
Lando Norris will look back on the Australian Grand Prix as one of the most impressive victories of his F1 career considering the circumstances.
The McLaren driver took pole position ahead of Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen in the searing Australian heat before the conditions completely changed 24 hours later.
Verstappen might have had the chance to win in Australia but his closest championship rival from last season came out on top after an abandoned start, several safety cars and a short trip into the gravel.
Martin Brundle was speaking to Norris on Sky Sports F1 (16/3 7:23 am) and admitted that one radio message between himself and his race engineer was so ‘brilliant’ it might have won him the race.
Lando Norris received ‘brilliant’ race-winning radio message at the Australian Grand Prix
Brundle was interviewing Norris after the race and explained: “I thought Will [Joseph, McLaren race engineer] was brilliant right at the end when he said, don’t overdrive the car, you’re fast enough anyway.
“In other words, don’t snatch a front brake and slow…”
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Norris interrupted Brundle and explained: “Max would go for it! We know Max, obviously, I dealt with him last year and I know if I gave Max one per cent of a chance he would go for it.
“So, I knew I just needed to and thankfully Will said it, just stay calm and trust that I’ve got the pace and I’ve got the car which I do and I’ve got to say a big thanks to the team for giving me this car to go out and win.
“The perfect way to start this season. Stressful! I would have liked a slightly easier one but very happy.”
Joseph saw massive changes in Norris last season and over the winter it appears as though he’s honed his skills even more.
It’s still too early to tell whether McLaren are going to dominate throughout 2025 but the early signs are very promising.
Lando Norris even happier with McLaren strategy call than Australian Grand Prix win
Norris was told by Brundle that he must be ‘so satisfied’ with his performance and he replied: “I am, thank you!
“I think it’s exactly like you said. It was… I don’t think people on the outside know how stressful a race like that is because especially when it’s drying out, you put a wheel 20 cm wide or out of position and you’re out, you’re in the wall hard.
“So, dealing with the pressure, knowing that you have to push, you’ve got to take those risks, but as soon as you take a tiny bit too much, it can all be over very, very quickly, like it almost was!
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“I went off the track as it started to rain, I was lucky I just about kept it on, we boxed and we made a lot of…and kind of what I’m most happy with is that we just made a lot of good decisions today.
“With the strategy, with preparing, I was talking a lot with Will on the radio, so, a lot of good things.
“But for myself, starting the season off like this, staying calm with the pressure of Oscar and Max makes me happy.”
There were times last season when McLaren cost themselves points by failing to make the right strategy calls.
Fans have also questioned Piastri being told not to challenge Norris in Melbourne and that’s going to become an even bigger topic of discussion the longer the season goes on.
However, they pitted both cars at the perfect time with the weather changing – something that cost Ferrari a lot of points – and that could prove crucial to Norris in particular in his battle against Verstappen.
