When the lights go out Sunday at the Australian Grand Prix to begin the 2025 Formula 1 season, defending F1 Drivers’ Champion Max Verstappen will start third, behind perhaps two of his biggest challengers in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri slid onto the grass in an eventful F1 race in Melbourne. Lewis Hamilton finished 10th in Ferrari debut.

The most famous example of this in 2024 came during Daniel Ricciardo 's final F1 race, when the Australian finished last but claimed the fastest lap on the final lap of the Singapore GP, taking the extra point away from Lando Norris and helping Max Verstappen's title bid.