F1 2025: Norris Ends Max’s Reign in Stunning Aussie GP

In Melbourne, Norris clinched a stunning victory, ending Max’s uninterrupted championship run and heralding a dramatic new era in Formula 1 racing.

Qualifying Highlights

McLaren Locks Out the Front Row
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured P1 and P2, marking McLaren’s 66th front-row lockout in F1. The last time they achieved this in Australia was 2012, when Jenson Button outqualified Lewis Hamilton.
Norris Claims His 10th Career Pole
This was his first-ever pole position in Melbourne, cementing his growing reputation as a Saturday specialist.
Piastri’s Near Miss
The young Aussie almost snatched pole but had to settle for P2. This is the seventh time he has started from the front row without claiming pole – a stat last seen with Bruce McLaren.
Verstappen Off the Front Row
For the first time since 2019, Max Verstappen did not start on the front row in Australia.
Mercedes Shows Signs of Life
George Russell’s P4 was Mercedes’ best qualifying result in Melbourne over the last three years.
Tsunoda Equals a Team Record
Yuki Tsunoda’s P5 matched Racing Bulls’ best-ever Melbourne qualifying result – originally set by Verstappen in 2016.
Williams Back in the Mix
Alex Albon’s P6 was Williams’ best Australian GP qualifying since 2016.
Leclerc Struggles Again
After starting P19 in Abu Dhabi 2024, this was the second consecutive race where Charles Leclerc failed to start in the top six.
Sainz Makes a Statement for Williams
In his first race for Williams, Carlos Sainz helped the team get both cars into Q3 in Melbourne for the first time in 20 years.
Alonso’s Streak Ends 🏁
The veteran driver failed to make Q3 in Australia for the first time since 2018.
Sauber’s Rookie Makes an Impact
Gabriel Bortoleto outqualified his experienced teammate Nico Hülkenberg in his very first F1 qualifying session.
Lawson’s Tough Start at Red Bull
Liam Lawson, starting P18, had never qualified this low while racing for Racing Bulls in 2024.
Bearman’s Nightmare Weekend
Ollie Bearman only completed 15 laps in the four practice sessions, facing an accident, a spin, and gearbox issues.

Qualifying Statistics

Driver / Team	Qualifying Position	Notable Facts
Lando Norris (McLaren)	1 (Pole)	10th career pole and first pole at Melbourne.
Oscar Piastri (McLaren)	2	Nearly secured his first pole; 7th front-row start without converting to pole.
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)	3	First time not starting on the front row in Australia since 2019.
George Russell (Mercedes)	4	Impressive performance; marks one of Mercedes’ best qualifying results in recent Australian GPs.
Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)	5	Equals the team’s best Melbourne qualifier (last set by Verstappen in 2016).
Alex Albon (Williams)	6	Best Williams qualifier in Melbourne since 2016.
Pierre Gasly (Alpine)	9	Matches his best qualifying position in Australia.
Carlos Sainz (Williams)	–	Helped secure both Williams cars in Q3 for the first time in 20 years at Melbourne.
Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)	–	Missed Q3 in Melbourne for the first time since 2018.
Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)	–	Outqualified teammate Hülkenberg in his debut qualifying session.
Liam Lawson (Red Bull)	18	Underperformed compared to his previous Racing Bulls outings in 2024.
Ollie Bearman	–	Completed only 15 laps in practice due to an accident, spin, and gearbox issues.

Race Recap & Records Broken

Lando Norris Wins Again!
McLaren’s rising star took his fifth career victory and, for the first time ever, leads the F1 championship.
McLaren’s First Title Lead Since 2012
Norris is the first McLaren driver to lead the drivers’ standings since Lewis Hamilton in 2012.
Verstappen’s 1029-Day Reign Ends
Since the Spanish GP 2022, Verstappen had been leading the championship for 63 consecutive races. That streak is now over.
Back-to-Back Wins for Norris
After winning the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP, this marks his first time securing consecutive victories.
Verstappen’s Familiar Role as Runner-Up
In four of Norris’ five career wins, Verstappen has finished second.
Russell on the Podium
George Russell secured P3, his best-ever result in an F1 season opener.
Williams’ Best Finish in Years
Alex Albon’s P5 was Williams’ best result in a full-length race since Azerbaijan 2017, when Lance Stroll finished third.
A Historic Debut for Kimi Antonelli
The 18-year-old Mercedes rookie finished P4, making him the 69th driver to score points on debut. He nearly matched Kevin Magnussen’s feat of landing on the podium in his first-ever race (Australia 2014).
Second-Youngest Points Scorer Ever
At 18 years and 203 days old, Antonelli became the second-youngest driver to score F1 points – behind only Max Verstappen.
Stroll’s Consistency at Melbourne
Lance Stroll finished P6, marking his best result in Australia for three straight years.
Sauber’s Point Streak Returns
Nico Hülkenberg’s P7 meant Sauber has now scored points in two of the last three races – after going pointless for the first 22 races of 2024.
Hülkenberg Outscores Ferrari!
His P7 finish alone earned him more points than both Ferrari drivers combined.
Hülkenberg’s Love for Melbourne
He has now finished P7 in Australia six times over the last eight years.
Ferrari’s Tough Day
Charles Leclerc’s P8 was his worst race result since Silverstone 2023.
Massive Attrition Rate
Only 14 cars finished the race – the lowest since the Brazilian GP in São Paulo 2023.

Race Statistics

Driver / Team	Race Position	Notable Facts
Lando Norris (McLaren)	1	Fifth career win; first back-to-back wins; now leads the Drivers’ Championship, ending a 1029-day (63 race) streak with Verstappen at the top.
Max Verstappen (Red Bull)	2	Finished second in four of Norris’ five wins.
George Russell (Mercedes)	3	Achieved his best result in a season opener for Mercedes.
Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)	4	Became the 69th driver to score points on debut; nearly clinched a podium finish; at 18 years and 203 days, he is the second-youngest driver to score points after Verstappen.
Alex Albon (Williams)	5	Recorded Williams’ best result (excluding a one-lap finish in Belgium 2021) since Lance Stroll’s third place at the 2017 Azerbaijan GP.
Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)	6	Delivered his best Melbourne finish for the third consecutive year.
Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber)	7	Achieved his seventh Melbourne seventh-place finish in six of the last eight years; scored more points than both Ferraris combined.
Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)	8	Ended up with his worst result since the British GP last July.
Additional Note	–	Only 14 drivers finished the race—the lowest number since the 2023 Brazilian GP in São Paulo.

Final Thoughts

The 2025 Australian Grand Prix delivered thrills, surprises, and a major power shift. Norris is now a title contender, McLaren is back at the front, and Verstappen’s dominance is officially under threat.

Can Norris keep the momentum going? Will Verstappen bounce back? The season is just getting started!