McLaren’s Lando Norris swept to victory in a wet and wild Australian Grand Prix, holding off defending champion Max Verstappen in a white-knuckle finish to a Formula One season opener littered with crashes and safety cars.

George Russell of Mercedes was third on the slippery Albert Park circuit, where only 14 of the 20 cars finished in the treacherous conditions in Sunday’s race.

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Norris, the preseason favourite for the driver’s title, started the F1 season as he finished the last at Abu Dhabi, with victory from pole.

His teammate Oscar Piastri started second on the grid but finished ninth, his dreams of becoming the first home driver to claim victory or a consolation podium were ended with a skid into the grass.

Lewis Hamilton’s debut for Ferrari proved a damp squib with the Briton finishing 10th, two places behind teammate Charles Leclerc.

Norris, who claimed his first win in Melbourne and the fifth of his career, said it had been a difficult race with Verstappen breathing down his neck.

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“It was amazing. Tough race, especially with Max (Verstappen) behind me,” he said.

“I was pushing, especially in the last two laps. It was a little bit stressful, not going to lie.

“This time we got it right and ended on top so I’m happy.”

Norris now leads the F1 drivers’ championship for the first time in his career. He is the first McLaren driver to lead the championship since Hamilton after the 2012 Canadian Grand Prix.