In an electrifying start to the Australian Grand Prix, Lando Norris proved why he is considered one of the favorites for this year’s F1 drivers’ championship by clocking the fastest time during the opening practice session.

Despite being interrupted by two red flags, Norris showcased remarkable prowess at Melbourne's Albert Park, posting a stellar lap of 1:17.252s on Pirelli's soft tires, a time that placed him 0.149s clear of Williams' Carlos Sainz.

The practice session saw Sainz, participating in his first race weekend with Williams, taking the second spot with a time of 1:17.401s, just ahead of his former Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, who finished third.

Home hero Oscar Piastri did well to secure fourth place, closely followed by four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who had his work cut out for him.

Crashes Abound!

The session, filled with anticipation, saw Nico Hulkenberg as the first driver on the track, quickly followed by Norris.

With only three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain, drivers were eager to set competitive times and hone their setups on a circuit known for its challenges.

However, early on, Liam Lawson faced a scare when he brushed the wall at Turn 9, although he managed to continue without major damage.

Unfortunately, his luck didn’t hold, as he later sustained damage to the car’s floor which kept him in the garage briefly.

The first red flag was waved when Australian driver Jack Doohan lost control and sent gravel flying across the fast Turn 6, necessitating a clean-up that halted the session for seven minutes.

Doohan also suffered damage to his car but managed to return to the track following repairs.

As the session progressed, Leclerc improved his time to 1:17.842s, leading the pack until Verstappen, the first to switch to soft tires, put himself ahead with a new top time.

In a turn of events, Sainz found himself back on top until disaster struck for rookie Oliver Bearman, who crashed out after losing control at the high-speed Turn 10, slamming into a wall and finishing at the bottom of the timesheet.

Hamilton Struggles

Amidst the chaos, current world champion Lewis Hamilton had a less-than-ideal practice session, finishing in a lowly 12th place.

He expressed frustration about the car's handling issues, commenting that he struggled to get it to turn the way he wanted, and was left 0.819s off the pace.

Watching closely, fans are eager to see whether Hamilton can turn things around as the weekend unfolds.

Alex Albon also caught attention by putting Williams in a competitive spot, finishing sixth and only 0.461s behind Norris.

Meanwhile, Mercedes' George Russell faced a moment to forget at the end of the session, running off track at Turn 4 and nearly colliding with a barrier.

As the Australian GP weekend continues, all eyes will be on both the veterans and the rookies as they battle it out on the track.

Fans are speculating whether Norris can keep his momentum going and if Hamilton will make the necessary adjustments to his car in time for the race.

Hold on tight for what promises to be an exhilarating race weekend!