McLaren's Norris will take Melbourne lessons to Bahrain

McLaren rookie Lando Norris took away a few good lessons from his F1 baptism of fire in Melbourne which he will put to good use in Bahrain.

The 19-year-old acquitted himself well on his grand debut in Australia, delivering an outstanding P8 performance in qualifying before finishing 12th on Sunday, having spent the bulk of his afternoon battling traffic.

Brown: If F1 not 'financially viable', McLaren could quit!

"Melbourne was a mixed weekend for me, qualifying went well and I was pleased with my performance there, however Sunday didn’t go as I’d planned," said the youing Brit as he previewed the Bahrain Grand Prix.

"We weren’t able to take advantage of the opportunity for points, however my debut grand prix was a great experience. I learned a lot and it was good to complete a full race distance for the first time."

©McLaren

Norris will now take the sum of his Melbourne lessons and apply them at Sakhir, a venue he knows well, having won there last year at the opening round of the FIA Formula 2 championship.

"I learned a lot and it was good to complete a full race distance for the first time," he added.

"I’m looking forward to taking what I’ve learned from Melbourne and applying it in my approach to preparation for Bahrain.

"Bahrain is a track with good memories for me after my pole and win there in Formula 2 last year and I’m excited to race under the lights for the first time!"

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.