MELBOURNE, March 15 (V7N) – McLaren’s Lando Norris delivered a stunning lap in scorching conditions at Albert Park to claim pole position for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. His teammate Oscar Piastri secured second place, marking a dream start for the British team.

Defending champion Max Verstappen will start third for Red Bull, while Mercedes’ George Russell lines up fourth. Ferrari endured a frustrating qualifying, with Charles Leclerc managing only seventh and Lewis Hamilton eighth.

Norris clocked a blistering 1:15.096, edging Piastri by 0.084 seconds. Melbourne native Piastri now has the chance to become the first Australian to win his home Grand Prix since it joined F1’s calendar in 1985.

“It’s the perfect way to start the year,” said Norris. “I’m never going to get ahead of myself, but the car is in a great position. We just haven’t run in the wet yet.”

Rain is forecast for race day, adding unpredictability to the season opener.

Verstappen, despite struggling with handling issues in practice, was relieved to be in the top three. “Yesterday was quite tough, so for us to be in P3 today, I’ll take that,” he said.

Yuki Tsunoda put his Racing Bulls car fifth, ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon in sixth. Carlos Sainz could only manage 10th for Ferrari, compounding a disappointing session for the Scuderia.

Mercedes' Hamilton was nearly nine-tenths off Norris’s pole time and even spun in Q2. “There’s a lot to dissect,” he admitted. “Tomorrow will be a challenge—I haven’t driven this car in the rain yet.”

Alpine’s Pierre Gasly placed ninth, while rookie Isack Hadjar impressed with 11th in his first F1 qualifying session. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson had a rough Red Bull debut, failing to progress beyond Q1 due to a power unit issue.

With wet weather looming, drivers expect a chaotic race. Verstappen, aiming for his fifth straight title, remains confident: “Dry or wet, anything can happen—especially here.”

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