Formula 1: Norris Edges Piastri to Secure Pole Position at Australian Grand Prix
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On March 15, Lando Norris clinched pole position for the Australian Grand Prix, narrowly defeating teammate Oscar Piastri. This front row lockout highlights McLaren's dominance at Albert Park, while Max Verstappen and George Russell followed closely behind.
Key Takeaways
- Lando Norris secures pole position.
- Oscar Piastri finishes just behind.
- Max Verstappen claims third spot.
- George Russell and Yuki Tsunoda complete the top five.
- Aston Martin faces elimination in Q2.
Melbourne, March 15 (NationPress) Lando Norris claimed the top spot for the opening race of the season at the Australian Grand Prix, narrowly surpassing his teammate Oscar Piastri by 0.084 seconds to achieve a front row lockout for the defending Teams’ Champions at Albert Park.
Initially, Max Verstappen had taken provisional pole during the early runs of Q3, but Piastri electrified the local crowd by dramatically improving that time by four-tenths. However, Norris responded with an even quicker lap, clocking in at 1m 15.096s.
Verstappen finished the session in third place, indicating that Red Bull is prepared to challenge McLaren, while George Russell secured fourth for Mercedes, with Yuki Tsunoda impressively rounding out the top five for Racing Bulls.
Alex Albon placed his Williams in sixth, showcasing potential for another midfield team, whereas Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had to settle for seventh and eighth, respectively, in a session that was less than ideal for the Scuderia. Pierre Gasly completed the top 10 for Alpine, while Carlos Sainz marked his debut qualifying for Williams in tenth.
After a standout weekend so far for Racing Bulls, rookie Isack Hadjar just fell short of breaking into the top 10, finishing in eleventh, while Aston Martin faced a double exit in Q2 with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finishing twelfth and thirteenth.
Jack Doohan achieved 14th with Alpine, having to forgo his final lap due to a yellow flag incident involving Hamilton in Q2, while 2024 F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto debuted with a 15th-place finish for Kick Sauber.
Ollie Bearman encountered difficulties, unable to record any laps due to a gearbox malfunction. His fellow rookie Kimi Antonelli narrowly missed the cut, finishing in sixteenth, while Liam Lawson faced an early exit on his Red Bull debut, ending up in eighteenth.
Several more seasoned drivers also exited in the initial qualifying phase, with Nico Hulkenberg finishing seventeenth for Kick Sauber and Haas’ Esteban Ocon down in nineteenth, just ahead of his sidelined teammate.
