Lando Norris won the Australian Grand Prix after a dramatic, incident-packed race in Melbourne. The McLaren driver prevailed after a close fight with his teammate Oscar Piastri, who went off late in the race and could recover only to ninth.

Norris also had to see off a strong challenge from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who was second, with Mercedes’ George Russell in third and his rookie teammate Kimi Antonelli making a superb recovery drive to claim fifth from 16th on the grid. Alex Albon also returned an excellent fourth for Williams.

Ferrari endured a tougher opening to the season with Lewis Hamilton in 10th in his debut in the car and his teammate Charles Leclerc in eighth.

McLaren had enjoyed an enormous advantage over the rest of the field after an opening in wet, windy conditions which had battered the track all day and left several drivers wanting. But with the track drying, then rain returning it was hard to call the race to the very close when Norris managed to hold off a late charge from Verstappen after local boy Piastri was caught out in the rain.

For Norris it was the first time he has won in Australia, the first time he has won the season-opening race and his fifth career victory. His team too will enjoy the winning feeling in Melbourne, after a long absence from the top step. The last time they took the flag here was in 2012 with Jenson Button.

The victory confirms the strength of McLaren’s new car. With the season now properly underway, it must be considered to have emerged with a genuine march on the opposition, even given the tricky, wet conditions.

The race opened in wet conditions and the start delayed by 15 minutes after rookie Isack Hadjar failed to make it to the off at all, crashing out for RB on the formation lap to the grid, his career off to an inopportune opening and causing the start to be aborted.

When the lights went out Norris covered off a quick-starting Verstappen to hold the lead but Piastri fell to the Dutchman though turn two in a sharp opening that was swiftly neutralised after the Australian Jack Doohan crashed out at turn five, causing the safety car to be deployed.

Doohan was not the last as Carlos Sainz followed suit shortly afterwards, spinning out under the safety car with a mechanical problem and going backwards into the barriers.

Norris then held his lead from Verstappen on the restart with the three front-runners opening a gap on Russell in fourth, with Hamilton remaining eighth. Piastri too was enjoying better pace as the track dried by lap 17 and when Verstappen went in too hot into turn 11 struggling with his tyres, the Australian shot past to reclaim second.

McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri made the early running before rain returned at the Australian F1 Grand Prix. Photograph: Joel Carrett/EPA

Norris however was in control out front, happy with his tyres and conditions and over two seconds up on his teammate and a full 20 up on Russell in fourth by lap 24.

Hamilton moved up on Albon in seventh while Piastri too began closing down Norris as Verstappen fell away, struggling for grip, 15 seconds in arrears. The McLarens were putting 1.5 seconds a lap on Verstappen and began lapping the back markers only just past the halfway point.

They were in a race of their own and as Piastri began climbing all over the back of Norris he was, to the consternation of the local crowd, told he needed to hold position as the track transitioned to dry conditions.

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Piastri was however given the go ahead two laps later when the team announced he was once more free to race. He had no time to do so however when the safety car was called after Fernando Alonso crashed on lap 33, prompting a host of pit stops for dry tyres.

The field closed up for the restart with the two leaders ready to go at it only for the weather to turn again. A heavy shower threatened and McLaren considered their options, Norris, doubtless thinking of Sochi in 2021, insistent they take the wet rubber before conditions became untenable as he debated it with the team.

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At the restart on lap 42, Norris hared off from Piastri as the promised heavy rain loomed and duly began two laps later but McLaren, despite all their discussions, were still caught out. Both drivers suffered, Norris went wide and Piastri spun off completely. Norris was able to keep going and make it to the pits as Verstappen took the lead.

Piastri did continue to the delight of the crowd but Verstappen and Red Bull gambled on staying out as did Hamilton who moved up to second. The Dutchman tried his best but as the rain continued he was forced to take his car gingerly into the pit lane.

Hamilton had to follow suit as all around them drivers were sliding out, with Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto both going off prompting another safety car, allowing Norris and Verstappen to resume in the lead after a hectic five minute period that had truly ruined Piastri’s day.

Back on intermediate tyres with five laps remaining when the safety car came in, Norris once more led from Verstappen and Russell with conditions very tricky for a gripping finale. Verstappen flew at Norris with DRS but the British driver, who had weathered the storm all day, held his nerve, finally taking the flag by under a second from Verstappen. A moment suitably marked as the sun finally managed to break through for the first time all day.

Lance Stroll was sixth for Aston Martin and Nico Hülkenberg in seventh for Sauber.