The Formula 1 season roared to life with a rain-soaked Australian Grand Prix that turned the championship on its head. After an incredible 1,029 days at the top, Max Verstappen finally lost his world drivers’ championship lead as Lando Norris claimed his first win of the season.
It was chaos from start to finish.
F1 analyst Peter Windsor watched as Verstappen pushed McLaren to the absolute limit in a nail-biting conclusion.
The final moments were breathtaking. Verstappen managed to get within one second of Norris before they crossed the finish line, setting up a dramatic showdown.
“It was very close. Max got within DRS range of Lando in the closing laps and was all over him on the last lap, but he could do nothing and crossed the line only eight-tenths of a second behind Lando, who finished second,” Windsor explained on his YouTube channel.
The victory was well-deserved for Norris, who started from pole position and delivered a masterclass despite challenging conditions.
“Lando, of course, won the opening round of the World Championship, very deservedly so, from pole. It was an absolutely stunning drive, despite that one mistake when he ran on slicks in the wet. We can forgive him for that one,” Windsor said.
What really impressed Windsor was how Norris showcased his exceptional skill compared to teammate Oscar Piastri.
George Russell also caught Windsor’s attention with a strong performance that landed him on the podium in third place.
The Mercedes driver tried to challenge Verstappen at a crucial moment in the race. “He tried to give Max a bit of a push at the final restart when they were all back on slicks again. He’s on the hard tyre, Max is on the medium, but Max again starts to pull away,” Windsor noted.
This defensive driving from Verstappen reminded Windsor of the Dutchman’s earlier performance. “It was a little bit like the way Max pulled away initially from Oscar Piastri in the opening laps of the race.”
With the championship standings now shaken up, the season ahead looks more unpredictable than fans have seen in years.
