Norris lauds 'perfect' start after sealing Australian Grand Prix pole

Norris led a front-row lockout with team-mate Oscar Piastri as McLaren began where they left off in 2024, when they won the constructors' title for the first time in 26 years.

The Briton beat Piastri by 0.084 seconds as both knocked early pace-setter Max Verstappen's Red Bull down to third in Melbourne, with both recovering from early mistakes.

Verstappen improved on his final run despite brushing the gravel. He ended up 0.385secs off the pace but managed to stay ahead of George Russell in fourth.

Norris was pleased by his performance, but his main concern was the race on Sunday, with rain predicted at the Albert Park Circuit.

"It's the perfect way to start the year. Everyone at McLaren has done an amazing job starting with a one-two, but it's just qualifying. Let's see tomorrow.

"It's going to be a tricky race, but this is a good way to start," Norris said.

"The car is extremely quick and when you put it together it's unbelievable, but it's difficult to put together.

"Particularly after the first lap, when I went off and lost my lap, you're in a tricky position - you need to risk it but not go too far because you can't make a mistake.

"It's a difficult balance. We know how quick Max and Red Bull are in the rain."

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Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton, on his Ferrari debut, could only manage eighth, with team-mate Charles Leclerc finishing qualifying a place ahead of the seven-time world champion.

Hamilton finished 0.877 seconds behind Norris but said he had felt good following qualifying, acknowledging he is still getting to know his new car.

"It doesn't feel natural, it's been challenging," Hamilton said. "Just the normal set-up changes you make, it's difficult to say too much, but there are all new tools that I'm still trying to get my head around and understand exactly where it impacts the car.

"I feel good that I got pretty much everything from the car in the end. I think there's probably still a couple of tenths left.

"I definitely didn't expect us to be as far off as we were but to be that close to Charles at the end of my first qualifying session in this car. I really am still learning this car.

"I've been chipping away at it all weekend and fine-tuning it, finding new tools that we didn't get to test in testing that we've never used before. I think we've done a good job."

The Ferrari duo were stunned by a surprise third-row line-up of Racing Bulls' Yuki Tsunoda and Williams' Alex Albon, who finished fifth and sixth respectively.

Alpine's Pierre Gasly was ninth, while Carlos Sainz was 10th on his Williams debut, having been replaced by Hamilton at Ferrari.