Australian Grand Prix 2025

Race Highlights

• Lando Norris won the season-opening race from pole position, marking McLaren’s first victory in Melbourne since 2012
• Max Verstappen finished second for Red Bull, while George Russell completed the podium in third for Mercedes
• Kimi Antonelli delivered a standout performance, recovering from a 16th-place start to finish fourth in his debut race
• Alexander Albon secured a career-best fifth place for Williams, the team’s highest finish since 2021
• Isack Hadjar suffered an accident on the formation lap and was unable to start the race
• Gabriel Bortoleto, Jack Doohan, and Carlos Sainz were among the six drivers who retired due to on-track accidents
• Lewis Hamilton finished tenth in his first race for Ferrari after a challenging weekend for the Italian team

Race Summary

Lando Norris exerted dominant control over the 2025 Australian Grand Prix, leading the majority of the race from pole position to secure McLaren’s first win at Albert Park in over a decade. While Norris briefly lost the lead to Max Verstappen during a period of changing weather conditions, he quickly reclaimed the top spot and maintained a gap to the checkered flag. This victory propelled Norris to the lead of the Drivers’ Championship for the first time in his career, ending Verstappen’s 63-race streak at the top.

The race was held under challenging, intermediate conditions that caught out several experienced drivers and debutants alike. Six retirements were recorded throughout the afternoon, including significant accidents for Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Jr., and Gabriel Bortoleto, which necessitated three separate safety car periods. Despite the chaos, rookie Kimi Antonelli successfully navigated the field to score points on his debut, while Alexander Albon capitalized on the attrition to bring Williams into the top five.

McLaren left Melbourne at the top of the Constructors’ Championship with 27 points, narrowly edging out Mercedes on a countback. It was a bittersweet race for the local favorite Oscar Piastri, who lost control in the wet conditions and dropped out of podium contention, eventually recovering to finish ninth after a late pass on Lewis Hamilton. The season continues next with the return of the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.