Lando Norris Dominates Season Opener, First Podium for McEwan

Qualifying:

Pos#DriverConstructorQ1Q2Diff.
19Jehan DaruvalaROOKIE-Toyota1:22.4121:22.017
247Lando NorrisCaterham-Judd1:22.1941:22.147+0.130
356Einar ÁrmannssonAudi1:22.8341:22.697+0.680
439Sho TsuboiROOKIE-Toyota1:23.0291:22.782+0.765
51Sebastian VettelCaterham-Judd1:22.9951:23.165+0.978
620Kevin MagnussenAudi1:23.3771:23.008+0.991
77Charles LeclercToyota1:23.4251:23.805+1.408
863George RussellMcEwan-Judd1:23.6281:23.471+1.454
999Sacha FenestrazToyota1:24.3711:23.926+1.909
1037Victoria DesaiFerrari1:24.0711:23.936+1.919
1123Jules BianchiMRT-BMW1:24.4131:24.672+2.396
1210Alessio LorandiFerrari1:24.5891:24.485+2.468
1355Carlos Sainz, Jr.Aston Martin-Judd1:24.9991:24.580+2.563
1498Colton HertaAndretti-Ferrari1:24.9701:24.753+2.736
1594Pascal WehrleinMRT-BMW1:26.7511:24.796+2.779
1643Franco ColapintoWilliams-Ferrari1:24.8301:25.013+2.813
1780Raven RothAndretti-Ferrari1:25.2771:24.954+2.937
1834Felipe DrugovichWilliams-Ferrari1:25.8801:25.080+3.063
1931Esteban OconDARE-Audi1:25.8471:25.511+3.494
2046Alessandro Cicognani McEwan-Judd1:25.7681:25.981+3.751
2181Oscar PiastriAston Martin-Judd1:26.4841:26.225+4.208
2233Max VerstappenRed Bull-Ferrari1:27.3881:26.535+4.518
2329Roger IbeRed Bull-Ferrari1:27.0431:27.040+5.023
242Stoffel VandoorneDARE-Audi1:27.9131:27.340+5.323
254Robin FrijnsLoonmotor-Judd1:29.9291:29.520+7.485
2695Beitske VisserLoonmotor-Judd1:29.8411:29.741+7.724

Report:

That's all the field saw of Lando Norris in the season opener: the back of him.
The most important date in January is the return of the Formula One championship. In the famous New Zealand International Grand Prix, the new cars get their first run at championship points in Taupō.

Caterham were expected to be on top again and duly provided. Lando Norris quickly took the lead and rolled away after the pitstops, taking a dominant fastest lap on his way to the fifteenth win of his young career.

The star of qualifying, however, was young Jehan Daruvala. The Indian achieved pole position in his first Grand Prix weekend. Regrettably, Daruvala made a fool of himself on Sunday, running into his teammate.

There were many new names on the grid, six rookies made their first start. Sacha Fenestraz was the only one to take points, however. New manufacturers Audi scored fourth place at the hand of former race winner Ármannsson.

Race:

Pos#DriverConstructorTime/RetiredGridPoints
147Lando NorrisCaterham-Judd70:42.680210
263George RussellMcEwan-Judd+29.10788
31Sebastian VettelCaterham-Judd+34.03056
456Einar ÁrmannssonAudi+54.17935
539Sho TsuboiROOKIE-Toyota+56.71214
699Sacha FenestrazToyota1 Lap93
723Jules BianchiMRT-BMW1 Lap112
855Carlos Sainz, Jr.Aston Martin-Judd1 Lap131
980Raven RothAndretti-Ferrari1 Lap17
1094Pascal WehrleinMRT-BMW1 Lap15
1146Alessandro CicognaniMcEwan-Judd1 Lap20
1237Victoria DesaiFerrari1 Lap10
1334Felipe DrugovichWilliams-Ferrari1 Lap18
1410Alessio LorandiFerrari1 Lap12
1521Oscar PiastriAston Martin-Judd2 Laps13
167Charles LeclercToyota2 Laps7
1720Kevin MagnussenAudi2 Laps6
1833Max VerstappenRed Bull-Ferrari2 Laps22
1929Roger IbeRed Bull-Ferrari3 Laps23
204Robin FrijnsLoonmotor-Judd4 Laps25
212Stoffel VandoorneDARE-Audi4 Laps24
2295Beitske VisserLoonmotor-Judd4 Laps26
DNF98Colton HertaAndretti-FerrariMotor14
DNF43Franco ColapintoWilliams-FerrariOil Leak18
DNF9Jehan DaruvalaROOKIE-ToyotaMotor11
DNF31Esteban OconFAST-BMWMotor19

Fastest Lap:

Lando Norris – 1:13.805

Infinite Improbability Drive Of The Race:

George Russell – makes a statement for McEwan with their first podium place.

Reject Of The Race:

Ferrari – poor qualifying, technical issues and the drivers were slow, but also not put in a position to succeed