Formula 1 Season Opener: Norris Takes Pole in Melbourne, Hamilton Eighth
The 2024 Formula 1 season kicked off with an exciting qualifying session at the Australian Grand Prix, where Lando Norris secured pole position for McLaren, edging out teammate Oscar Piastri by just 0.084 seconds. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton, making his debut for Ferrari, could only manage 8th place on the grid.
Norris and Piastri delivered a stunning one-two for McLaren, pushing Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who had dominated the early stages of qualifying, down to 3rd place. The British driver's performance was a statement of intent for the season ahead.
Hamilton, who joined Ferrari after a storied career with Mercedes, was 0.218 seconds slower than his new teammate Charles Leclerc. The seven-time world champion will start from the fourth row, behind Yuki Tsunoda of Racing Bull and Alex Albon of Williams, both of whom delivered impressive performances.
