MELBOURNE, Australia — Lando Norris’s victory over Max Verstappen by a mere 0.8 seconds at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday doesn’t fully reflect the superior performance of his McLaren MCL39 at Albert Park in Melbourne.

Despite the chaotic and incident-filled start to the Formula 1 season, McLaren demonstrated moments of clear dominance. However, the race concluded with Verstappen, Norris’s long-standing rival, closely tailing him, maintaining pressure until the very last corner.

It’s not to suggest Norris should have won by a larger margin, but the frequent disruptions to the race prevented a potentially more significant victory. Norris effectively managed challenging weather conditions, as heavy rain repeatedly swept across the circuit, delivering what can be considered one of his most impressive performances yet.

Gone was any hesitation that might have cost him pole position at the start or faltered under Verstappen’s pressure a year prior. Instead, Norris maintained a focused drive towards victory from the outset, demonstrating the progress both he and McLaren have made over the winter in their quest for the 2025 drivers’ title.

Good for TV

Speaking to the media on Sunday evening, a champagne-soaked Norris, still riding the adrenaline of the race, described the afternoon as a rollercoaster.

‘Starting the season with a win is fantastic, but achieving it in such a demanding race, where mistakes are easily made, makes it even more rewarding,’ he noted. ‘In an instant, everything can unravel – a lock-up, a slight misjudgment of the white line, a sudden slide… maintaining control and avoiding barriers was a constant challenge.’

Verstappen, after his own eventful race, pushed hard in the final laps, closing in on Norris. Post-race analysis revealed Norris’s car had sustained floor damage, impacting performance in the final stint. Yet, highlighting Norris’s exceptional driving, Verstappen never truly believed he could execute a successful overtake.

‘I gave it my all to close the gap and apply pressure, but overtaking is incredibly difficult here,’ Verstappen commented after the race. ‘There was only one dry line; even with a good run into Turn 9, the wet track made any move impractical. Still, it was a close finish, good for the viewers.’

Earlier in the race, the spectacle wasn’t as close. Despite Verstappen’s initial efforts to challenge the McLarens, he went wide at Turn 11 on lap 17, allowing Oscar Piastri to take second place.

As a dry line gradually appeared, but conditions remained too wet for slick tires, McLaren’s true pace on worn intermediate tires became apparent. Leading the race in first and second, Norris and Piastri extended their lead over Verstappen to a significant 16 seconds in the following 13 laps.

The tendency of Pirelli’s intermediate tires to overheat on drying asphalt amplified the inherent advantage of the upgraded McLaren over its competitors. This characteristic was first observed in Norris’s strong long-run pace during preseason testing in Bahrain and played a role in McLaren’s qualifying performance in Australia.

Verstappen acknowledged McLaren’s superior tire management as a crucial factor in Sunday’s race and a key area where the reigning constructors’ champions are currently behind.

‘I saw it coming,’ Verstappen admitted regarding McLaren’s early race advantage. ‘I was struggling with tire wear, similar to qualifying.

‘Intermediates are a softer compound, making them more prone to overheating. This is where we, and many teams, are struggling compared to McLaren. They are simply performing better in this area, which is something we need to address.’

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella admitted the team hadn’t anticipated such a performance gap so early in the season.

‘Today, we again witnessed the car’s excellent tire interaction, allowing us to build a gap, which isn’t solely due to the car but also its gentler tire handling,’ Stella explained. ‘To some extent, this level of competitiveness is a surprise, but the objective itself wasn’t unexpected.’

‘The car seems to have met our targets. Further races will provide a clearer picture of the competitive order, especially considering we haven’t seen Ferrari’s full potential this weekend. They appear to be close, so more will be revealed.’

Norris echoed this sentiment, anticipating varied track conditions will either favor or challenge McLaren.

‘Some tracks will suit us better, while others will be more challenging,’ he predicted. ‘Last year, we were strong in the latter half of the season, but struggled significantly in Vegas. Certain track types will still pose difficulties.

‘Even in Bahrain, despite pre-race confidence due to strong high-fuel pace, our low-fuel pace was lacking compared to some rivals. Even with engine modes maximized and fuel reduced, we might not have been faster.’

‘We know we have areas to improve. In a Bahrain rematch, a win wouldn’t be guaranteed. However, I’m optimistic about China next week, where we performed well last year with a less competitive car.’

The 16-second lead held by McLarens evaporated on lap 34 when Fernando Alonso’s spin and crash triggered a safety car, allowing for a switch to slick tires and setting up a crucial phase of the race.

On lap 44, leading teammate Piastri into rain at Turn 12, both McLarens slid wide through the gravel. Norris recovered, rejoining before Turn 13, but Piastri spun further, briefly getting stuck on the grass beyond Turn 13.

Reacting to the incident and a pre-race strategy to switch to wet tires in rain, Norris immediately pitted for intermediates. This decisive call demonstrated Norris and McLaren’s enhanced championship readiness.

‘We missed opportunities last year,’ Norris reflected. ‘We focused on improving our responsiveness and communication this year.’

‘Leading and deciding on tires is tricky. You know someone behind might gamble and gain. I wanted to avoid losing to a mid-pack gamble. We aimed to be prepared and make the right call.’

‘The pit call was made moments before I entered, as I was managing the car. It proved correct. It was about relaying information and providing my feedback.’

Verstappen’s decision to stay out initially seemed right but backfired as he pushed an extra lap on slicks. While risky, a clean lap might have put him ahead of Norris post-pit stop. However, a third safety car on lap 47 negated any lost time for Red Bull.

Norris’s victory reinforces his preseason status as a title favorite. Yet, recalling 2024 where Verstappen dominated early but faced a Norris challenge later, skepticism remains.

‘Max was close in qualifying. Last year, we were further behind, yet had the best car by season’s end,’ Norris noted. ‘Initially, we were significantly behind Red Bull but caught up.’

‘We have work ahead on this year’s car. Complacency is risky in Formula 1. Thinking things are perfect is when you get overtaken.’

‘I believe we are favorites due to the team’s effort and the car’s performance, but challenges will come. If Bahrain was the season opener, this conversation wouldn’t be happening. Let’s see more races before definitive statements.’