24 March 2024 , 05:23
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A brake fire ruined Max Verstappen 's shot at a 10th-straight F1 victory as Carlos Sainz picked up the pieces to win the Australian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman started on pole but on just the second lap he had already lost the lead to the Ferrari. It was clear he was suffering with an issue and that became a terminal problem when flames appeared which melted the tyre and rear-right corner of his Red Bull.
That left Sainz free to take full control of the race and he managed it excellently to end Verstappen's streak - just as he had done in Singapore last year. To cap off a dream day for Ferrari, Charles Leclerc finished second and the Scuderia cemented their status as the main challengers to the champions.
Like Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton had a day to forget as he too had to end his race early. He reported an engine issue over the radio and was forced to pull over at the side of the track. Mercedes confirmed shortly after that his power unit had failed.
DRS is enabled after just one lap this year after a rule change which Sainz used to full effect. Verstappen made a mistake on the exit of Turn Eight and the Spaniard took advantage to sweep past the Red Bull and take a surprise early lead of the race.
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His supremacy was confirmed when Verstappen limped back to the pits with his Red Bull ablaze. Hamilton was not in the hunt for victory having started 18th, but he too saw his participation ended much earlier than he would have liked.
Sergio Perez was off the pace and unable to win for Red Bull in his team-mate's absence. So Ferrari were able to rule the roost with Sainz leading comfortably and team-mate Leclerc behind him, providing a buffer to the charging Lando Norris who had to settle for third.
George Russell crashed out on the final lap of the race, to make matter worse for Mercedes. He was trying to hunt down Fernando Alonso ahead of him but lost control and flipped his car onto its side before it came to rest in the gravel.
Sainz's victory comes just two weeks after he underwent surgery to have his appendix removed. He missed the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as a result but marked a triumphant return with a calm drive amid the chaos in Melbourne.
Full 2024 Australian Grand Prix result
- Carlos Sainz - Ferrari
- Charles Leclerc - Ferrari
- Lando Norris - McLaren
- Oscar Piastri - McLaren
- Sergio Perez - Red Bull
- Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin
- Lance Stroll - Aston Martin
- Yuki Tsunoda - RB
- Nico Hulkenberg - Haas
- Kevin Magnussen - Haas
- Alex Albon - Williams
- Daniel Ricciardo - RB
- Pierre Gasly - Alpine
- Valtteri Bottas - Sauber
- Zhou Guanyu - Sauber
- Esteban Ocon - Alpine
DNF: Max Verstappen - Red Bull; Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes; George Russell - Mercedes
DNS: Logan Sargeant - Williams