Australian GP takeaways: Norris at his best, Hamilton drops debut dud

Welcome back to another season of Formula 1. We will offer our takeaways following each race weekend this year and open the 2025 schedule with the Australian Grand Prix.

Moments that decided the race 👀

Lando Norris shows poise

For the first time since May 21, 2022, there's a new leader atop the drivers' standings. Lando Norris delivered under incredible pressure during Melbourne's season opener.

If Norris needed a performance to prove he's ready to dethrone Max Verstappen, his drive at the Albert Park circuit provided the evidence. On a day when his teammate, Oscar Piastri, saw a podium disappear as he slid off the track, and his top rival Verstappen lost a position going wide early in the race, Norris did what he rarely did last season in making fewer critical mistakes than those around him.

It was anything but a smooth race, but Norris survived it all: multiple safety cars, a wet start, a late downpour, and a charging Verstappen, who finished less than a second behind. Sure, there was a moment when Norris went through the gravel as the rain came down, but McLaren was right there to save him by calling immediately for intermediate tires, which preserved his lead for the final safety car restart. Even going back to Saturday, Norris saw his first lap in Q3 deleted, but with his back against the wall, he stuck it on pole.

Sunday's race was one that McLaren and Norris would have fumbled last year. But after a season where the Papaya team and British driver were often on the receiving end of criticism and mockery for poor execution, the time for jokes is over. Norris' charge to capture his first drivers' championship has never appeared more legitimate.

Ferrari blows Hamilton's debut

It took one race and a rainfall for Lewis Hamilton to get the full Ferrari experience that the Tifosi know all too well. The seven-time champion's much anticipated Ferrari debut culminated in frustration, head-scratching strategy calls, and a measly single point.

No one was expecting miracles from Hamilton's first race in red. After all, he's still learning a new car, engine, and team. But Ferrari left a lot of meat on the bone as Hamilton's 10th-place finish will amount to little more than a future throwaway trivia question.

Hamilton spent the majority of the race in eighth behind Williams driver Alex Albon. But as the rain chucked down in the final stages, the British driver found himself in second place behind Verstappen on Lap 46 after opting to stay out on slick tires. Verstappen pitted shortly after, putting Hamilton in the lead, though Ferrari's house of cards was about to come crashing down. The Scuderia left Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc out for one lap too many in what became undrivable conditions for the slick tires. The duo emerged ninth and 10th on Lap 48 after being among the last to change tires.

Hamilton later asked his engineer why he was informed there wouldn't be much rain, lamenting a big missed opportunity. On Lap 46, the 40-year-old was told there would "hopefully" be no more rain. Not even a full lap later, Hamilton notified his pit wall that there was more rain coming down. That information differed from Leclerc, who was briefed as he began his 46th lap that the rain would get heavier.

It was a day to forget for Ferrari, Hamilton, and Leclerc, who also lost ground due to a spin. After a winter break filled with optimism and excitement, the honeymoon period is over.

Chaos leads to unexpected surprises

If Formula 1 was tasked with creating the perfect opening race to sell viewers on the remainder of the season, it would look a lot like the 2025 Australian GP.

The Melbourne race had all the chaos and unpredictability that fans often crave. In what was a true war of attrition, drivers and pit walls were tested to see who was still suffering an offseason hangover. That became obvious even before lights out as Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar crashed on the formation lap after just one corner. Shortly after the start, Jack Doohan and veteran Carlos Sainz also found themselves out of the race.

The final tally for the mixed conditions race: six retirements with four coming from rookies. The only two rookies to see the finish were Ollie Bearman, though he was last of the drivers remaining, and Kimi Antonelli, who came a marvelous fourth. The 18-year-old Antonelli showed talent and composure beyond his years, becoming the first rookie to finish in the top four after starting outside the top 15 in their debut since Jean Alesi in 1989.

Antonelli’s day doesn't even begin to wrap up the strangeness at Melbourne. Verstappen's 1,029-day reign atop the drivers' standings also ended, yet it felt more like a footnote. At the moment, Kick Sauber - last in the constructors' standings last year - Williams, and Aston Martin are all ahead of Ferrari.

A Williams driver - Albon - is fifth in the drivers' standings, while Lance Stroll and Nico Hulkenberg are right behind him. Hulkenberg in his first race at Sauber outproduced the team's total points output from 2024. In a wet and unpredictable race, Stroll picked up all of Aston Martin's eight points, while Alonso crashed out.

The opening act often sets the tone for the remainder of the show, and if the Australian Grand Prix is a sign of things to come, we could be in for a great season.

Driver of the Day 🙌

Norris: The 2024 runner-up in the standings converted a pole to a Lap 1 lead - the third straight time he's done so - and then turned his pole into a win despite the elements trying their hardest to make him crack. Australia offered another look at a driver who's grown exponentially since his first race win in Miami last year. And like it or not, this driver looks awfully tough to beat right now.

They said what? 🗣️

Norris on whether win is confidence-builder for season: "It is. My weekend's been amazing from the get-go. It's not easy to put a weekend together like this, especially when I have pressure from Max and Oscar. Stressful, but I know what I'm capable of. I know what I can do, but it's just Round 1, we need to go and do it again next weekend."

Hamilton on struggling in Ferrari debut: "It was very tricky. It went a lot worse than I thought it would go. The car was really, really hard to drive today. For me, I'm just grateful that I kept it out of the wall cause that's really where it wanted to go most of the time."

James Vowles on Sainz helping team after crashing out: "There was an additional strategist today, which was Carlos. His insight was incredibly useful on that transition to the intermediate (tire). You saw a number of teams not sure, Carlos was adamant that you won't survive on that on the last few corners, and he was spot on. ... I'm incredibly proud of how, across the last 12 months, this team has grown and performed."

Toto Wolff on George Russell's podium finish: "There's so much talk about Kimi, and he merits it, but George is just so good. He extracts from the car more than the car has at times. He makes no mistakes, he's calm now. He is a true leader on the team, and we're lucky to have him."

Hadjar on Anthony Hamilton consoling him after crash in debut: "He told me to keep my head high and be proud. He told me I did good yesterday. It was a nice gesture from him."

What's next?

F1 immediately shifts to the Shanghai International Circuit for the Chinese GP on March 23 (3 a.m. ET).

Verstappen claimed last year's event ahead of Norris and Sergio Perez.