The Formula 1 season started on March 14 with the first practice race. The first official race was on Sunday, March 16, in Australia at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit.
The initial three practices gave insight into how the teams have advanced since last year and previous testing. This was the first time the new sets of teammates were on the track together along with five rookies. The practices revealed that McLaren was the car to beat. Between their two drivers, they led two out of three practices, only being beaten by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari.
Qualifying showed the same things as practice. McLaren led, with Lando Norris taking pole or first in qualifying, and Oscar Piastri followed behind him. The three drivers behind them were from different teams. The teams were Mercedes, Red Bull, and Racing Bulls. The qualifying showed mixed responses from the car and allowed the teams to see what they would be in for this upcoming season.
The race took place on a Sunday. It was an unfortunate race for many as the rain was coming down hard. Six drivers did not finish the race, four of whom were rookies. The rest of the drivers fell into some trouble, too. There was miscommunication between teams and their engineers. There were also a few drivers who lost places due to spinning out but later regained control. Lando Norris with McLaren ended up winning the race with an outstanding performance. Following him on the podium was Max Verstappen with Red Bull and then George Russell with Mercedes.
The Australian Grand Prix was a rough start to the season for many drivers and teams.