McLaren dominates in Australia: Norris and Piastri get front row for the GP

Lando Norris secured the pole position for the 2025 Australian Grand Prix in Formula 1, leading an all-McLaren front row alongside his local teammate Oscar Piastri. The Woking squad showcased superior performance at the Albert Park circuit, relegating Max Verstappen of Red Bull to third place.

The qualifying session in Melbourne offered moments of high intensity, with the McLaren drivers recovering from mistakes in their initial Q3 attempts to set unbeatable times in their final laps. Norris clocked a time of 1:15.096, edging out Piastri by just 0.084 seconds.

"It's the perfect way to start the year," declared Norris after the session. "First of all, congratulations to the team. Everyone at McLaren has done an incredible job to continue from where we left off at the end of last season and start with a 1-2."

Verstappen and Russell complete the top positions

Max Verstappen, the reigning world champion, couldn't match the pace of the McLarens and finished 0.385 seconds behind Norris. George Russell secured fourth place for Mercedes, while Lewis Hamilton, now with Ferrari, had to settle for eighth.

One of the day's big surprises was the performance of Yuki Tsunoda, who placed his Racing Bulls in fifth, ahead of Alexander Albon of Williams and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari.

Notable disappointments in qualifying

Liam Lawson, on his debut with Red Bull, was one of the day's disappointments, being eliminated in Q1 and qualifying only in 18th place. The rookie had missed the third free practice session due to engine issues with his car.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, the new Mercedes driver, also exited in Q1, finishing in 16th. The team later reported that the Italian was suffering from damage to the floor of his car.

Expectations for the race

The race promises to be intense, especially considering forecasts indicating possible rain on Sunday. This situation could completely change the landscape, as Norris himself acknowledged: "We know how fast Max and Red Bull are in wet conditions, so we'll see."

Meanwhile, Piastri expressed mixed feelings after finishing second in his home race: "I'm pretty happy. It's probably one position further back than I would have liked, but it's a great start to the year, and it's great to have the team on the front row. Now we'll regroup and see what tomorrow has in store for us."

Qualifying results for the 2025 Australian GP