Grand Prix of Australia: Norris announcement according to Formula 1 chaos: Stress makes it nicer

After his triumphant victory in the rain and slide chaos of Melbourne and the wax release from Max Verstappen after 1029 days at the World Cup tip, Lando Norris cost at any moment. And especially that in the crazy final phase of the Grand Prize of Australia, he withstanded the pressure of series champion Verstappen. “You can ruin everything at a moment, said Norris:” But it makes it even more beautiful that it is so stressful. ”

The 25-year-old Brit passed part one of 24 world championship maturity tests in a race that provided enough material for the annual reviews. 0.895 seconds before Verstappen, Norris raced through the finish line with his McLaren.

“It’s the first race. I have to repeat it next weekend and keep it,” said Norris after his fifth career victory. Part two of the World Cup fight will follow in Shanghai next Sunday.

Even in Melbourne, Verstappen was briefly panicked

Accidents from 6 out of 20 drivers and safety car phases almost in continuous loop shaped the start of the season in Albert Park. The pilots made it difficult for the pilots to fall a violent temperature and rain, at the beginning and again in the final phase of the race on the course that quickly greased.

Even with a rain expert like Verstappen, there was “briefly panic” because of the tire selection. In the end, the four -time world champion was able to live with second place. “That’s 18 points here more than last year – I’ll take them with them.” In 2024, when Australia was a third World Cup station, he had not reached the goal.

There were a few others who left the paddock more than satisfied: George Russell, for example, as third in the Mercedes. Especially his new team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who made it into the points in his first Formula 1 race as the second youngster in the history of the motorsport king class (behind Verstappen).

The 18-year-old arrived fourth, through a five-second penalty he ended up fifth in the second silver arrow before the sanction was taken back and Antonelli was considered fourth. He started from position 16. “I really can’t complain about the course of my first Formula 1 race,” said Antonelli.

Tears and debris: no glossy day for all new regular drivers

By the way: Four of the six rookies that start their first season as emergency drivers did not finish after accidents. The premiere for Isack Hadjar was the most bitter: the 20 -year -old Frenchman crashed into the route limit with his racing Bull on the introductory round. The race took place without him.

Nico Hülkenberg also included the winners. Started by 17th place, the clean returnee came into the points as a seventh. “It is balm for the soul,” said the 37-year-old. In one fell swoop, he scored more points (6) than clean with two drivers throughout the past year. “We rewarded ourselves by making no mistakes,” emphasized the Rhinelander.

There are no additional points that he also left both Ferraris behind, it is all the more remarkable. And not only because the Ferrari engines get clean. But rather because the Scuderia with its new superstar Lewis Hamilton and permanent hope of hope Charles Leclerc remained far behind the expectations. Accordingly, the mood in the evening was very cool Melbourne in the team accommodation right next to the celebrating McLaren team.

“It was very difficult and it went much worse than I expected,” said Hamilton. Ten tenth in the first race for Ferrari. “The car was very difficult to drive today. I am simply grateful that I didn’t kiss a wall, because that was sometimes scarce.”

During the race, he bloped his engineer several times during the race to just leave him alone. Colleague Leclerc was only eighth. “We cannot be happy with the result,” said team boss Frédéric Vasseur.

Again no home win for Australia

Another beatener reached the finish between the two Ferrari pilots: Oscar Piatri. The dream of the fans on the ranks, despite the rain and storm, burst – again nothing with a home win of an Australian.

At first the team braked him just behind Norris. He shouldn’t overtake Piatri. Then the 23-year-old failed himself, slipped over the lawn and had no chance of winning in his hometown. “My own fault, so I’m absolutely disappointed.”