Anticipation ran high after an eventful summer break. With Lewis Hamilton moving to Ferrari, breaking allegiance with Mereceds and multiple driver changes on the grid; fans were eagerly awaiting the familiar “lights out and away we go” commentary.
Little did we know, the Australian GP in Melbourne would have more drama than we could have imagined. With treacherous wet conditions and rookie Isaac Hajar crashing in the formation lap, an exciting race was already set up.
On the racing front, Lando Norris led for the majority of the race and eventually clinched his first win of the season. With Max Verstappen on his tail in the last few laps, the message from the pit wall was clear: “You’re faster, just don’t make any mistakes.” And Norris followed the orders with precision. Speaking to the broadcasters post the race, the Brit driver said that although he started off the season on a high, he would keep his head down and do what the team expects of him. RedBull’s Verstappen took P2 while Mercedes’ George Russell took P3.
Apart from the racing action, multiple crashes and interesting tyre strategies, a moment off track captured fans’ attention. Following Hadjar’s crash, as the rookie walked back to the paddock, face clutched in his hands, wiping away tears — Hamilton’s father, Anthony, took the young driver in his arms as he passed by the Mercedes garage. Anthony spoke words of encouragement in attempts to cheer up the youngster. It was an especially touching moment considering the 20-year-old considers Lewis his hero.
Local hero Oscar Piastri’s dream of winning his home race was left unfulfilled as the 23-year-old crashed out in the 44th lap, although he managed to storm his way back into the points. On the other hand, Australian Jack Doohan, too, crashed in the opening laps to end his race early, giving another reason for fans to believe in the ‘Australia GP curse’ — where local drivers never seem to have a good time.
“A tough one because we went off, made some big mistakes and went through the gravel and did a lot of damage. It was just tricky conditions, but these are the ones that are enjoyable and fun and unpredictable, but this time we got it right and we ended up on top, so I’m very happy,” said the race winner during the post-race presentation to F1.
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