We’ll be saying G’day mate to the new Formula 1 season on Sunday, but it might not be one for Lando Norris at the Australian Grand Prix.The British driver has fond memories of Albert Park after he secured pole position and a win last year.Norris’ win last year in Melbourne was his first in his bid to be world championGettyIn the 2025 edition of the Grand Prix, Norris’ victory marked McLaren‘s first at the circuit since Jenson Button‘s in 2012.The race was held in wet weather conditions, meaning the intermediate tyres were on for each driver during the race.Six drivers crashed out, including veterans Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz.Even the current world champion’s teammate, Oscar Piastri, lost control when he was cruising in second, leaving him beached on the grass.However, after a short time he freed himself, dropping to 13th before recovering into ninth.Meanwhile, back at the front, Norris managed to keep Max Verstappen behind to win the Grand Prix.A second win is on the cards for the Brit with McLaren rated well ahead of the new campaign.However, there may be something in the air in Australia which curses the previous winner and Melbourne 2026 could see the same fate for Norris. Charles Leclerc won the Grand Prix in 2022 and the following year, he did not finish the race.The same trend happened in 2024 as the previous year’s winner, Max Verstappen, crashed out and ended his remarkable 43-race finishing streak and his hopes of a record-equalling 10th consecutive victory.Carlos Sainz won the Australian GP in 2024, only two weeks after having emergency appendix surgeryGettySainz crashed outon lap two of the Australian Grand Prix while behind the safety car last yearGettyIt may seem like a coincidence; however, last year, previous winner Sainz spun out in the rain during his first race for Williams.This run of events could be concerning for Norris going into a season where he is defending his world title.The Brit, though, does at least have one thing in his favour, despite the worrying omen.He has always performed better than his teammates around Albert Park.That’s especially during qualifying – despite having two Australian partners in his career with Daniel Ricciardo and more recently Piastri being paired with him.The British driver joined Formula 1 in 2019 and in his inaugural season was partnered with Spaniard Carlos Sainz.Norris has never been out qualified head to head in a season by any of his teammatesGettyThe 26-year-old’s first competitive session was qualifying in Melbourne 2019, where he qualified in eighth, ten places ahead of Sainz.The following year in 2020 the Grand Prix was cancelled a few hours prior to the first practice session due to the coronavirus pandemic.Formula 1 did not return to the streets of Melbourne until 2022 when eight-time Grand Prix winner Daniel Ricciardo was in his final season at the Papaya team.The Honey Badger placed in seventh while Norris managed to out-qualify him in fourth.In the Piastri era, the Australian has also failed to beat his teammate on a Saturday at his home race.The British driver finished two places higher in qualifying than the other McLaren car in 2023 and 2024, and a single position above in 2025.Norris is already enjoying himself in Australia as the reigning championGettyIf Norris is able to outqualify his teammate once again in Melbourne and if he is able to do so, he will become the driver with the best head to head qualifying record in the circuit’s history.Nevertheless, while it could be a positive Saturday, it will be interesting to see if the world champion is able to break the curse on race day.