Formula 1: Crash and Norris best time for the Formula 1 start

Lando Norris achieved the first best time of the new season at the eventful start of training in Formula 1. The 25 -year -old vice world champion raced in McLaren in the one -hour unit on the Albert Park Circuit from Melbourne. Behind Norris, Carlos Sainz made it second in the Williams in front of Charles Leclerc in Ferrari.

Norris’ teammate Oscar Piatri lined up defending champion Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. The four -time champion was 0.444 seconds slower than Norris. Record world champion Lewis Hamilton landed much further behind. The 40 -year -old Brit, for whom Sainz had had to vacate the cockpit at Ferrari, became twelfth with 0.819 seconds behind.

The first training session of the new season was rather moderate for Mercedes: Hamilton’s successor Andrea Kimi Antonelli was 14th, George Russell seventh. Shortly before the end, the Brit would almost be crashed into the route limit.

Theriastic accident: “I’m sorry”

The only German pilot, Nico Hülkenberg, struggled to 18th place. Only the two cars of his former racing team Haas were worse, with the bottom of Oliver Bearman also causing the first violent crash.

After a good half hour, the 19-year-old new Haas newcomer lost control and hit his car into the route wall. “I’m sorry,” said Bearman to the command stand before jumping out of his car. The training had to be interrupted.

Today at 6:00 a.m. CET (Sky) the second free training is coming up. The Grand Prize of Australia starts on Sunday (5:00 a.m. CET/Sky).