F1 standings after Melbourne: Lando Norris leads, the rookies struggle, a good operation for Mercedes

Weather forecasts predicted intermittent rain, but it was ultimately a real downpour that hit Melbourne shortly before the start. From the formation lap, Frenchman Isack Hadjar (Visa RB) lost control of his car, marking a nightmare start for his first F1 race.

The start under safety car conditions limited risks in the opening laps, but as soon as the Safety Car pulled away, chaos ensued. Local hero Jack Doohan violently crashed into the barriers after contact with Kevin Magnussen (Haas), resulting in a red flag. On the restart, Carlos Sainz also hit the barrier and had to end his race.

The difficult start of Hamilton with Ferrari

One of the most anticipated topics of this Grand Prix was Lewis Hamilton’s first race with Scuderia Ferrari. While the winter tests had shown an interesting potential, the reality of the race was harsher. Far from the pace at the front, the Briton struggled in the wet, notably due to settings unsuitable for the unpredictable weather. After a race marked by several minor off-track excursions, the Briton could only manage a modest tenth place. His teammate Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, could do no better than eighth after a poorly executed strategy.

Surprises and Underperformances

Among the surprises of the day, Alexander Albon (Williams) impressed by finishing fourth. The Thai driver’s performance demonstrates the progress of Williams, which seems to have found a promising balance for this season. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, a young Italian prospect from Mercedes, also made an impact by securing a solid fifth place in his first F1 race.

Heading to China for the next round

After this spectacular opening in Australia, Formula 1 now turns its focus to the Chinese Grand Prix, marking its return to the calendar after several years of absence. On the Shanghai circuit, the teams will attempt to confirm or correct their performances.

The Constructors’ Championship after Melbourne

		Team	Points	Gaps
1		McLaren F1 Team Mercedes	27
2		Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport Mercedes	27	0
3		Oracle Red Bull Racing Honda RBTP	18	-9
4		Williams Racing Mercedes	10	-8
5		Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team Mercedes	8	-2
6		Stake F1 Team Ferrari	6	-2
7		Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari	5	-1
8		BWT Alpine F1 Team Renault	0	-5
9		Visa Cash App RB F1 Team Honda RBTP	0	0
10		MoneyGram Haas F1 Team Ferrari	0	0

The drivers’ championship after Melbourne

		Driver	Points	Gaps
1		Lando Norris#4 McLaren F1 Team	25
2		Max Verstappen#33 Oracle Red Bull Racing	18	-7
3		George Russell#63 Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport	15	-3
4		Andrea Kimi Antonelli#0 Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport	12	-3
5		Alexander Albon#23 Williams Racing	10	-2
6		Lance Stroll#18 Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team	8	-2
7		Nico Hülkenberg#27 Stake F1 Team	6	-2
8		Charles Leclerc#16 Scuderia Ferrari	4	-2
9		Oscar Piastri#81 McLaren F1 Team	2	-2
10		Lewis Hamilton#44 Scuderia Ferrari	1	-1
11		Oliver Bearman#50 MoneyGram Haas F1 Team	0	-1
12		Esteban Ocon#31 MoneyGram Haas F1 Team	0	0
13		Yuki Tsunoda#22 Visa Cash App RB F1 Team	0	0
14		Pierre Gasly#10 BWT Alpine F1 Team	0	0