MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - McLaren's Lando Norris has won a chaotic rain-affected Australian Grand Prix, his first at Albert Park, with the Brit just managing to stay ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen following a third safety car late in Sunday’s race.
McLaren driver Lando Norris wins Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - McLaren's Lando Norris has won a chaotic rain-affected Australian Grand Prix, his first at Albert Park, with the Brit just managing to stay ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen following a third safety car late in Sunday’s race.
Lewis Hamilton had a miserable Ferrari debut. The seven-time champion finished 10th and was annoyed by constant radio messages from his pit team.
Norris started the wet race, Melbourne's first since 2010, from pole position. But, while he initially came under increasing pressure from Piastri, who set a series of fastest laps until his papaya team told him to hold position, the Australian spun at the penultimate corner on lap 44 with intensifying rain and dropped down the order – with a late race fightback to ninth, nabbing two points.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished second - 0.895 of a second behind Norris - after starting from third on the grid, and took advantage of Piastri's misfortune and the final safety car and stops. Mercedes' George Russell closed out the top-three.