Ataraxia
Formula 1 is back, and fans couldn’t be more thrilled. This weekend marked the much-anticipated return of racing with the first Grand Prix of the season—destination: Australia. And what a dramatic opener it was. Six drivers failed to finish, Lando Norris took a surprise victory, Ferrari’s risky strategy backfired, and a rookie finished in fourth. Unexpected? Absolutely.
Norris Starts Strong, Piastri Slips
Lando Norris had a stellar start to the season. He began in pole position, held onto it, and crossed the finish line first, earning crucial points for McLaren. His teammate, Oscar Piastri, wasn’t as fortunate. A small mistake cost him dearly, dropping him down the order to finish ninth.
Red Bull’s Rocky Start
It was a disappointing race for Red Bull. Many questioned the decision to put Lawson in the seat, and this race didn’t help his case. Lawson lost control and crashed out early, failing to finish. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen secured a second-place finish. While respectable, it fell short of expectations for the reigning champion.
Mercedes Shines Bright
The big winners of the weekend? Mercedes. George Russell finished third, and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli impressed with a fourth-place finish, placing Mercedes neck and neck with McLaren in the Constructors’ standings after just one race.
Mixed Bag for Williams and Ferrari
Williams had a solid showing with Alex Albon finishing fifth. However, it was a rough outing for Ferrari. Carlos Sainz was one of six drivers who didn’t finish the race. Ferrari’s poor decision to change tires during a dirty track condition cost them heavily. Charles Leclerc, who was in podium contention alongside Hamilton at one point, finished eighth. Hamilton dropped to tenth after leading briefly, undone by the same pit strategy.
The Rest of the Grid
Lance Stroll claimed sixth, Nico Hülkenberg finished seventh, followed by Leclerc in eighth, Piastri in ninth, and Hamilton in tenth. Gasly and Tsunoda took 11th and 12th, respectively, with the two Haas cars trailing at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Chaos in the Rain
Rain played a major role in the chaos. During the formation lap, Hadjar lost control, but was comforted by Lewis Hamilton’s father in a touching moment. Jack Doohan also spun out on the opening lap, and Fernando Alonso joined the list of casualties on lap 33.The race turned into pure chaos from lap 44 onward. Piastri spun, dropping from second to fifteenth. Leclerc spun shortly after, and Bortoleto, carrying a five-second penalty, crashed out by lap 47. The rain showed no mercy—but that’s the thrill of Formula 1.
An Unforgettable Start
It was a breathtaking start to the season, packed with surprises, crashes, and emotion. With this level of excitement, the next Grand Prix can’t come soon enough. See you next week on the track.
