Australian Grand Prix: Norris and McLaren make perfect start to F1 year, take front row
Lando Norris takes pole and teammate Oscar Piastri finishes second in qualifying at Albert Park
McLaren’s Lando Norris kept his cool on a sweltering afternoon at Albert Park on Saturday to take pole position for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix as his teammate Oscar Piastri joined him on the front row.
Defending champion Max Verstappen will start his Red Bull car third on the grid ahead of fourth-placed Mercedes driver George Russell for Sunday’s race, but it was a disappointing session for Ferrari with Charles Leclerc to start seventh and Lewis Hamilton eighth.
Briton Norris lapped the lakeside circuit in one minute, 15.096 seconds, 0.084 ahead of Melbourne native Piastri, who will hope to become Australia’s first home winner since the race joined F1’s global calendar in 1985.
“It’s the perfect way to start the year,” Norris said. “I’m never going to get ahead of myself, I’m not that kind of guy. I’m confident the car is in a great position but we’ve also never run in the wet.”
Rain forecast for Sunday could make the race a lottery but McLaren were delighted with their raw pace in the dry.
Verstappen, bidding for a fifth consecutive drivers’ title, had struggled with handling problems through free practice so he was also glad to be near the front for Sunday.