McLaren’s Lando Norris emerged victorious in a rain-drenched Australian Grand Prix, mastering unpredictable conditions to claim his first win at Albert Park on Sunday. The season-opening race, the wettest in Melbourne since 2010, turned into a survival test with only 14 of 20 starters finishing. Norris, starting from pole, outlasted Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by a mere 0.895 seconds, while Mercedes’ George Russell secured third in a podium finish.

The race began under a deluge, with immediate chaos as Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar crashed on the formation lap, followed by Alpine’s Jack Doohan and Williams’ Carlos Sainz exiting on lap one. Norris held an early lead, but intensifying rain on lap 44 saw teammate Oscar Piastri spin out at the penultimate corner, dropping from second to ninth despite a late recovery. A third safety car, triggered by Red Bull’s Liam Lawson and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto crashing 10 laps from the end, tightened the field, setting up a tense finale. Earlier, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso had smashed into the turn eight barriers on lap 34, further thinning the grid.

Lewis Hamilton, in his Ferrari debut, endured a frustrating day, finishing 10th. The seven-time champion, starting eighth, briefly led during a strategic gamble to stay on slicks amid late rain but pitted after the final safety car, losing ground. He later vented about incessant pit radio chatter disrupting his focus.

Norris’ triumph showcased McLaren’s wet-weather prowess, capitalizing on Piastri’s misfortune and Verstappen’s inability to close the gap post-safety car. The Brit’s fifth career win underscored his title contender status, while Hamilton’s result signaled a challenging transition at Ferrari. With six retirements and three safety cars, the race was a brutal testament to driver skill and team strategy in chaos.