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LANDO NORRIS won a thrilling season opener in Melbourne after SIX drivers were KO’d and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton gamble went horribly wrong.The McLaren driver held onto the lead by the skin of his teeth as Max Verstappen pulled it out the bag to finish a whisker behind him in second. Lando Norris won a chaotic Australian Grand PrixCredit: GettyNorris celebrated the win with his mumCredit: AFPNorris celebrates following his thrilling winCredit: EPANorris finished just ahead of VerstappenCredit: EPAThe wet conditions saw six cars crash outCredit: GettyLewis Hamilton had a Ferrari debut to forget as he finished P10Credit: AFPHamilton was fuming with his race engineerCredit: GettyThe other McLaren, Oscar Piastri, suffered a nightmare ending having been hot on team-mate Norris’ heels throughout before spinning off the track and onto the grass with 11 laps to go. It meant Verstappen overtook him and Piastri finished in ninth after starting the race in second after a front row lock-out for reigning Constructors’ champs McLaren.After the Piastri chaos, Lewis Hamilton was leading the race on his debut for Ferrari as the Italian team gambled by not pitting him and his team-mate Charles Leclerc.  But it did not pay off as Verstappen pitted and hunted them down on fresh tyres, forcing them into the pits for a changeover. READ MORE IN F1The fuming seven-time world champion gave his race engineer Riccardo Adami a tongue lashing, swearing on his radio after Ferrari dropped down the positions and he finished in ninth while Leclerc settled for eighth. At one point Adami was trying to give Hamilton information about DRS but he says on his team radio: “Leave it guys, leave it. I’m learning the car as I go mate, just leave me to it with the DRS. It’s not an issue.”Earlier on in the race, Hamilton asked: “Tell me where I’m slow I’m having a hard time.”British Mercedes driver George Russell made it onto the podium in third and Alex Albon came in fourth in his Williams. Most read in MotorsportJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSTo rub salt in the wounds for Hamilton, Lance Stroll also finished ahead of him in sixth for Aston Martin. SIX drivers did not finish the drama-filled race, including Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan, Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Gabriel Bortoleto and Liam Lawson. ‘Shock to the system’ – Lewis Hamilton makes surprise admission about progress in Ferrari car ahead of wet Australian GPRB rookie Hadjar crashed on the formation lap before he even started and was left crying with his head in his hands before Lewis Hamilton’s dad comforted him. “Ooof, little bit of pressure! Well done boys, beautifully handled.”Executed to the second. One second later and we were done. Well done everyone, congrats, amazing way to start the year.”Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle called it one of Norris’ “all-time great” drives.After his disappointing debut, Hamilton said: “It was very tricky and went a lot worse than I thought it would go. The car was really, really hard to drive today.”For me, I’m just grateful I kept it out of the wall because that’s where it wanted to go most of the time.”A lot to take from it and just getting acclimatised with the new power unit in the wet conditions.READ MORE SUN STORIES”The settings it requires are different, and a different way of driving and a different set-up on the steering wheel.”I hung out as long as I could, got in the lead at one point. Just the guidance with how much more rain was coming, was missing there, so I think we missed out.” More

FORMULA ONE’S season-opener in Australia has undergone some major changes since last season.The 2025 F1 calendar raises the curtain Down Under in Melbourne for the first time since 2019 ahead of a highly-anticipated season.The Australian Grand Prix has made major changes to the circuit after two huge crashes last yearCredit: AFPMercedes’ George Russell was left stranded in the middle of the track after his car flipped when hitting a kerbCredit: AFPAlex Albon was also put out of the race after hitting the wall and skidding back into the middle of the trackCredit: GettyRussell said the moves were positiveCredit: RexBig narratives include Lewis Hamilton making his debut for Ferrari while six rookies – including teen millionaire Ollie Bearman – also take to the grid.However, there have also been changes made to the circuit itself in Australia.The 2024 race was as dramatic as they come with Max Verstappen’s brakes catching on fire before Carlos Sainz swept home to win the race following surgery on his appendix.But George Russell and Alex Albon suffered huge crashes at the same part of the track, with Russell’s Mercedes flipping violently before coming to a halt on its side while Albon’s Williams slid into the middle of the track following a big shunt against the wall.READ MORE IN F1Both incidents forced a red flag, but measures have been taken for this year’s race to try and ensure the same incidents do not happen again.This year Albert Park chiefs have done major work to Turns 6 and 7, where the crashes happened.The first change has seen the barrier moved and angled differently to stop a car bouncing back into the track.Sections of the kerbing have been slightly flattened to reduce the risk of potential instability caused by the bumps.Most read in MotorsportCheltenham Festival betting offers and free betsMeanwhile, adjustments have also been made to the gravel traps by bringing them closer to the kerbs.Russell said the changes were a positive following his terrifying crash last year.Martin Brundle’s most-awkward Formula 1 grid moments from Cara Delevingne to Ozzy OsbourneHe told reporters: “Yeah, I know there’s been changes to the circuit through that corner. “There’s been a few big crashes there and obviously that was, yeah, it was a big one in itself. I’m fortunate I didn’t get collected. Afterwards I think the duty lies on the FIA, to be honest. “In this regard, I think the people around the circuit have done everything they can to make that corner slightly better if you were to have a crash so…  “You know, it’s part of racing, it’s the dangers that we involve ourselves with. “It’s when you push the limits and you’re going for everything, it sometimes bites. But I trust the team.”An FIA spokesperson also explained the changes made after taking on board proposed changes from the FIA Safety Department.They said: “The kerb at the exit of Turn 6 through entry and apex of Turn 7 has been replaced with a single specification of negative kerb.”This adjustment removes the transition from negative to positive kerb that was present in this area, which previously had been addressed by local modification (grinding) of the kerb to provide a smoother transition between kerb types. “The intent is to remove the possibility of this transition destabilising a car.”Additionally, the gravel trap now extends to the back of the kerb and the barrier on the left-hand side of Turn 7 has also been moved and re-profiled to mitigate the possibility of a car coming to rest in a position near the racing line following an impact with the energy absorbing barrier in this area.”READ MORE SUN STORIESThe weather forecast for the Australian GP has sunny skies for practice and qualifying across Friday and Saturday.However, the race on Sunday has a more than 80 per cent chance of being struck by rain, which would really throw the cat amongst the pigeons considering the other variables already in play.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Liam LawsonFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and Isack HadjarHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban OconCHELTENHAM FESTIVAL 2025 LIVE: LATEST TIPS AND RESULTS FROM THE GREATEST SHOW ON TURF More