Analysis

F1 Australian GP: Five quick takeaways

Lando Norris won the season opener in Melbourne, Max Verstappen and George Russell completed the podium.

Here's what we thought after the first race of the season...

McLaren is indeed strong

Although the winning margin wasn't that big, there's an overriding feeling after Australia that on a dry track the papaya cars would have disappeared into the distance.

For now, the conclusion that McLaren will be the team to beat in 2025 still stands. However, to put the favourite tag on Lando Norris and his team, we'll have to wait for the first 'normal' race... This Sunday in Melbourne was simply too crazy.

- Oleg Karpov

Never write off Verstappen, even if he does it himself

Max Verstappen was clear before he left for Australia: "At the moment only one [team can win], and that team is orange!" Even before qualifying, he didn't think Red Bull would be in a position to challenge for the podium, let alone victory. With Helmut Marko predicting a second row was possible, Verstappen feared Red Bull would not even make Q3.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

P3 on the grid may have cost his father a bet against Marko, but more importantly, it showed that with Verstappen, Red Bull is in a position to fight. That was even more the case in the Australian rain. Verstappen once again showed his abilities in the wet, pushing Norris until the very last lap.

- Ronald Vording

Williams' pace is real

Williams has been one of the biggest surprises of winter testing. James Vowles insists in every interview that his team's focus is on 2026 and beyond, but the team is in a position to grab some big results this year. Carlos Sainz crashed out early in the Australian Grand Prix, but Alexander Albon saved the day for the Grove-based team - and even more so!

At both the Bahrain test and the Melbourne qualifying session, Williams showed its true pace in the dry and then added an impressive performance in the wet. Albon's fifth place at Albert Park is already a big result in the constructors' championship and this first race has made it very clear: there is more to come from Williams this season.

- Ronald Vording

Experience is still needed

It wasn't the easiest weekend for the rookies, and while the F1 2025 newcomers are all extremely talented, experience was definitely needed on a rainy Sunday afternoon in Melbourne. Isack Hadjar crashed on the formation lap, Jack Doohan just seconds after the start, and Gabriel Bortoleto couldn't keep his car out of the walls in the end. It wasn't an easy weekend for Oliver Bearman either, as he ran into trouble as early as Friday. Liam Lawson, who is also starting his first full season in F1, couldn't put together a good lap in qualifying and ended up crashing into the wall in the race.

Jack Doohan, Alpine crash

Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images

Don't judge them too harshly just yet, though. Melbourne is a tricky track to start a new season on as a rookie, especially with the rain on Sunday. The mistakes made by the likes of Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso show that it wasn't easy for anyone. But for some drivers, such as Doohan and Lawson, the pressure will be even greater from now on...

- Oleg Karpov

Antonelli shows why he's the real deal

Looks like he learned the right lessons from his peculiar and brief appearance at Monza last year: Andrea Kimi Antonelli makes his Formula 1 debut in Melbourne, finishing a strong fourth. What an impressive debut from the 18-year-old!

Of the six rookies (including Lawson and Bearman), only two finished the race – and Antonelli was the only one to score points. This shows why Toto Wolff thinks so highly of him: yes, Antonelli spun in the tricky conditions, but other than that, he didn't put a foot wrong and stayed out of the chaos in a very challenging Grand Prix – a really strong first performance.

- Frederik Hackbarth