Lando Norris Claims Pole at Australian GP, McLaren Lock Out Front Row; Hamilton Struggles in Ferrari Debut
Lando Norris has secured pole position for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, edging out his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri to deliver a dominant front-row lockout for the team. McLaren, the reigning constructors’ champions, put in a thrilling performance in qualifying, overcoming early setbacks to claim the top two spots on the grid at Melbourne’s Albert Park.
The McLaren duo had their work cut out after an underwhelming first run in Q3, but both Norris and Piastri delivered under pressure when it mattered most. Piastri topped the timesheet briefly before Norris fired back with a blistering 1:15.096, setting a time that would ultimately give him pole by almost a tenth of a second.
“It’s a perfect way to start the year,” said Norris after his pole position. “But it’s just qualifying. Let’s wait and see tomorrow. It will be a tricky race but today was a perfect way to start.” He further elaborated on the pressure he felt, stating that after his first lap, which was deleted due to a track-limits breach, he had to take risks on his final lap, but ultimately, it paid off.
Max Verstappen, who is aiming for his fifth consecutive drivers’ title, bounced back from a difficult Friday practice session to qualify third for Red Bull, nearly four-tenths behind Norris. Mercedes’ George Russell secured a solid fourth place, while McLaren’s Piastri will line up alongside Norris in second, making for an exciting start on the grid.
The day, however, wasn’t as smooth for Ferrari, with both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggling in qualifying. Leclerc could only manage seventh, while Hamilton, in his Ferrari debut, was even further behind, qualifying eighth—almost nine-tenths slower than Norris’ pole time. Hamilton’s session was marred by a spin at Turn 11 during Q2, though he managed to recover and progress to the final stage. He also had to use an extra set of soft tyres after a near-miss in Q1.
Reflecting on his performance, Hamilton noted, “It’s been a lot of work to really adapt; this car is so much different here to what I’ve experienced in the past. But it’s been interesting. I definitely didn’t know that we’d be eight-tenths off today, but there is a lot to dissect for sure.”
As expected, the McLaren pair dominated qualifying, but a surprise performance came from Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda and Williams’ Alex Albon, who rounded out the top six in fifth and sixth places, respectively. Pierre Gasly and Carlos Sainz completed the top 10, with the latter making his debut with Williams after switching from Ferrari in the offseason.
The big talking point, however, was the struggles of Ferrari and Hamilton, whose transition into the SF-25 was far from seamless. With rain in the forecast for the race, the conditions could level the playing field, giving Hamilton and Ferrari a chance to bounce back.
Australian GP Qualifying Results: Top 10
- Lando Norris, McLaren
- Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- George Russell, Mercedes
- Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls
- Alex Albon, Williams
- Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
- Pierre Gasly, Alpine
- Carlos Sainz, Williams
With a thrilling grid set for the Australian Grand Prix, fans can expect an action-packed race as McLaren look to capitalize on their front-row lockout, while others like Verstappen, Russell, and Hamilton will be keen to challenge. The race is set to air live on Sky Sports F1 at 4am on Sunday, with a full replay available at 8am.