There were highs and lows for British drivers in Melbourne over the Australian Grand Prix weekend. 

Lando Norris led the way with his first F1 podium of the 2024 season and the 14th of his career. His third place behind the two Ferraris moved him up to sixth in the championship standings. Sadly neither George Russell nor Lewis Hamilton could add to their respective tallies – both Mercedes drivers failing to finish in Albert Park as a result of engine and final lap accident dramas. 

Red Bull junior Arvid Lindblad was another British driver on the podium in Melbourne. The young Motorsport UK Academy rising star finished a close second in Saturday’s F3 Sprint race, having started the season with a Sprint Race victory in Bahrain. 

Fellow countryman Luke Browning, though, still leads the F3 Championship title race – the Williams Academy driver made up for failing to score in the Sprint with a battling fourth place in Sunday’s longer Feature race.  

“Overall, I’m still happy to be leading the Drivers’ Championship as we head to Europe,” said the Team UK star. “We’ll take time over the next few weeks to focus on where we can extract more potential, to ensure we’re able to challenge for the top spots from Imola onwards.” 

Oliver Bearman returned to the F2 ranks after his widely-heralded heroics when replacing Carlos Sainz at Ferrari in Saudi Arabia but endured a hugely frustrating weekend down under.  

The 18-year-old sensation only qualified in a lowly 16th in a heavily disrupted session twice halted by red flags. He then struggled to score points in either races. 

Like Browning, Bearman will next be seeking success when F2 and F3 rejoin F1 on the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix bill on 17-19 May. In the meantime, Norris, Hamilton, Russell et al will be jetting off to Japan, China and Miami.