The first race of the year, the Australian GP, ends with the triumph of Lando Norris. A more than dramatic Grand Prix, with Verstappen e Russell to close the podium. Only P9 for Oscar Piastri after various misadventures, P8 e P10 respectively for Leclerc ed Hamilton. Big surprise Antonelli fifth, but let's go and see the salient phases of the first seasonal appointment.
Australian GP starts with a bang: three drivers retire and Safety Car
Despite the risk of the race being postponed due to rain, everything seems to be proceeding normally. The formation lap of the first Grand Prix of the season has begun. But as pointed out during the weekend, rain and 6 rookies could have meant chaos. And in fact, Isaac Hadjar, on his first formation lap in a Formula 1 Grand Prix, spins and hits the wall at turn 1. We recall that, having retired before the start of the race, does not affect the prediction of withdrawals. The actual start is therefore delayed to 15:15 local time. When the lights go out, Norris is in the lead, with Max instead overtaking Oscar Piastri. Excellent start from Charles Leclerc who gets rid of Albon and Tsunoda, moving into P5 close to Russell. Instead they retire jack doohan, which in turn 5 is a victim of the pendulum effect due to aquaplaning, and Carlos SainzThe Spaniard, under the Safety Car due to the Alpine accident, loses his Williams on the final corner, with the right rear ending up first in the barriers.
The monotony of the Australian GP, with McLaren racing alone
At the turn 8 the race resumes, with the safety car returning to the pits. Everyone is running smoothly, with Piastri close to Verstappen and Leclerc to Russell. The top three, however, are in another category, with the drivers behind losing at least one second per lap compared to the two Papaya and Max. In the center of the group Antonelli moves up to P12 passing Hulkenberg's Sauber. But on the next lap a mistake at Turn 4 forces him back into P13. On lap 17 Verstappen goes wide at 13, with the #81 McLaren thanking them and passing. After 10 laps from this event, nothing has changed. The two McLarens are flying compared to any other team on the track. Nice surprise Kimi Antonelli who, after the mistake, passes Hulkenberg again and immediately after Stroll. The Italian is now in P11 and very close to the points zone occupied by Fernando Alonso.
Papaya Rules for McLaren, another Safety Car and slick tyres
In their solo race, Piastri sticks to Norris and gets into the DRS zone on his teammate. But when the Australian asks to be able to battle the Englishman, a No. dry. Hold positions is the message from the McLaren box. A few laps later, however, Piastri commits a error in curve 6 and loses about 2 seconds. On lap 34 he revives the race Fernando Alonso, who at the same point completely loses the car and ends up in the barriers. Once again the matter is called into question Safety car, with all the pilots taking advantage of this to mount slick rubber. White rubber for McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari, yellow for Red Bull, Tsunoda and Albon.
Rain arrives and it's chaos. Piastri turns, Ferrari P9 and P10
On lap 42 the Safety Car comes back in, leaving us 15 laps of the race on dry tyres and the risk of rain between some laps. And it is precisely at that moment that the race takes a turn that no one expected. On lap 44 both Norris and Piastri make a mistake in the last sector. The Australian is the unluckiest of the two and gets stuck in the grass of the last corner. So almost everyone returns to the pits, while Verstappen and two Ferraris remain out. If Max stops two laps later, the Reds try something different. But the rain is too much and, despite the Safety Car caused by the retirements of Bortoleto e Lawson, are forced to mount the intermediate. Hamilton will be in P9 and Leclerc in P10. Norris takes back the lead, Red Bull #1 second. Then Russell and Albon in P4. P5 at the first appearance in F1 for Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Followed by Stroll, Nico Hulkenberg e gasly. P13 for Plates.
Max attacks, Norris defends and wins the Australian GP
On lap 52 the Australian GP restarts and there is an immediate brawl between the Ferrari drivers, with Leclerc passing Hamilton at turn 1. Two laps later they both pass Gasly. The next lap Norris goes long at 6 and Max moves into the DRS zone. Lando defends himself and goes on to win the first grand prix of the season ahead of a SuperMax Verstappen. Russell closes the podium. P4 for Antonelli who are first given a 5 second penalty (then revoked) for Unsafe Release. Behind him a stunning Alexander albon with Williams. P6 for Stroll, then Hulkenberg and Charles Leclerc. Top 10 that closes with Piastri overtakes Hamilton on the last lap. The last post bonus is grabbed by Oliver Bearman with the Haas.
