At the end of the chaos, Lando Norris, vice-world champion of Formula 1, won the first race of the season on Sunday, a Grand Prix of Australia strongly disturbed by the rain, in front of the title of the title Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and the British George Russell (Mercedes).
Norris against Verstappen, is the match already relaunched? On the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, the Briton, who left in pole, was not surprised, neither by pressure, nor by rain despite a big fright, and especially not by “Mad Max”, his Dutch rival for the world crown last year.
“It was incredible, a high level race, especially with Max behind me,” savored the winner of the day, who saw Verstappen come back on his wheels at the very end of the race. “I pushed, especially in the last two laps-it was a little stressful, I will not lie,” he also recognized.
“It was a difficult race, but the end was fun,” reacted Verstappen. Lando was a little scared, that’s why I got closer, but it was pleasant to fight for victory. ”,
Lewis Hamilton Tenth
Thai Thai Alexander Albon finishes at the foot of the podium, confirming the good shape of Williams seen during pre-season tests.
For his first GP with Ferrari, the Septuple British world champion Lewis Hamilton finished 10th, his Monegasque teammate Charles Leclerc 8th.
The two red single -seats were the victim of a strategic error, having been called too late to return to the stands when the rain returned.
If the majority of the race was disputed on a drying track after the showers fallen earlier during the day, the rain again invited the party to be less than 15 laps from the end, annihilating the podium hopes of the local hero Oscar Piastri (McLaren).
The Australian, long 2nd, went to the fault on a track again slippery. Remented in the grass, he was able to leave, carried by the clamor of more than 130,000 people all acquired in his cause, and finished 9th.
“I am obviously very disappointed,” reacted Piastri. I feel like I have done an incredibly efficient race for each turn … except one! I can only take it to myself. ”
The native of Melbourne, however, wants to be reassured: “The big positive point is that I felt that I had a very good rhythm in all the conditions, that’s what I will remember from this weekend.”
McLaren, who seemed to spin to a double, was a team to beat this weekend at the dawn of an even uncertain season. Seven manufacturers are in the top 10 of this first round of the year.
This season, F1 inherits a largely altered grid, marked by Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari but also the beginnings of several pilots in the elite, like Isack Hadjar at Racing Bulls.
At the challenge of a still wet track for his first F1 race, the 20 -year -old Frenchman, 11th on the grid, had to abandon even before the start, the fault of a track out during the Training Tour.
Other premature abandonments, those of the Australian Jack Doohan (Alpine) and Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Williams), both victims of a track out during the first round of race.
In the championship, with his victory, Norris logically took the lead in front of Verstappen. The next round is scheduled for next weekend, in China.
