Carlos Sainz won the traditional Australian GP with a flawless performance, the 29-year-old Spaniard's third F1 victory. World champion Max Verstappen is out for the first time in two years.
Third GP victory for matrilineal Carlos Sainz at the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne: The Ferrari driver produced a spectacular performance at the third round of the Formula 1 season, Silverstone 2022 and Singapore 2023. It was Sainz's 20th podium finish (the same number as Giuseppe Farina and John Watson). Sains' best previous finish at Albert Park: 8th in 2017.
It was Ferrari's 244th win in the premier class and the Italian's eleventh in Australia. At the same time, it was Ferrari's 86th double win in Formula 1 and the first since Bahrain 2022, when Charles Leclerc took the lead over Carlos Sainz.
Sainz after his win: “I didn't feel 100 percent, but as a leader I was able to manage the pace. I'm very happy, Ferrari's work is finally paying off. How crazy life is! Appendectomy in Jeddah, victory in Melbourne”
“From the 2nd lap I knew I could do it today. Everything revolved around the tire breakdown today, but as a leader I managed to manage it well and take home the win.
Second-placed Charles Leclerc said: “A great team result. Carlos has had some really crazy days with the operation and now the win. I had problems with the tires in the first part of the Grand Prix, but in the end things went a little better. Carlos worked better than me all weekend and deserved the win.
Third-placed Lando Norris said shortly after the race: “A good day for McLaren, third and fourth place means a lot of points in the brand rankings. For a while I thought I could take second place from Leclerc, but in the end he was too strong.
Max Verstappen made an early exit
In friendly early autumn weather in Australia, Max Verstappen took the lead immediately and the field safely passed the first corner. The Dutchman had to relinquish the lead after a slide on lap 2 – thanks to an adjustable rear wing, and was passed by Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz.
The three-time world champion drove back into the Ferrari's slipstream but complained on the radio that the car was lying strangely.
Shock for all Max Verstappen fans: on lap 4, the right rear brake started smoking, Max slowed down, first defeat after 43 races, first defeat since Melbourne 2022! Tenth consecutive win from the dream.
Carlos Sainz controlled the pace at the front, and on lap 7 Hamilton dropped his soft tires and then briefly slipped off the track, but the Mercedes star was able to continue.
Standing after 10 laps: Sainz, Norris, Pérez, Alonso, Hülkenberg and Gasly, then Leclerc was the first of the drivers who had already taken the new rubber.
Sergio Perez fought alongside Sainz and Norris. On the radio the Mexican questioned whether the Red Bull Racing team had found the right setup for the race. After changing his tires, “Seco” returned to the track only in tenth place.
Lewis Hamilton is also out
On lap 16, leader Sainz came to take the hard tires. At the same time, Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes slowed: “Engine failure,” gasped the record champion over the radio. The clever Fernando Alonso used a short virtual safety car phase for his stop. Time available: Ten seconds.
Standings after 18 laps: Sainz, Leclerc, two Ferraris in front, Piastre, Norris, Alonso, Russell, Perez, Stroll, Tsunoda and Alban.
To protect the tires, Ferrari ordered them to hold their positions.
On lap 22, Perez passed Russell and started to chase down Alonso in sixth, but the Mexican leader was 18 seconds behind Sainz, with the Spaniard in control.
Perez caught Fernando Alonso on lap 27 and began chasing down McLaren drivers Piastre and Norris who were twelve seconds ahead of him.
Halfway through the race distance (29 out of 58 laps): Sainz easily five seconds ahead of Leclerc, then Norris, Piastre took the McLaren. Behind him are Perez in fifth, Alonso, Russell, Stroll, Tsunoda and Hulkenberg in tenth.
Ferrari is very cool
On lap 34, Leclerc's second set of tires had enough and Monegas returned to the track just ahead of Perez and Alonso.
On lap 38, McLaren driver Oscar Piastre briefly slipped off the track in the second-to-last corner, but the Melbournian was able to continue with his worn tires a lap away.
Two laps later, Norris and Sainz both made their second stop. When the cylinders on the Monaco car were removed at the end of the race, Norris was hoping for second place against Leclerc with six laps of soft tyres. Sains continued to lead.
Lap 43: Sainz five seconds ahead of Leclerc, four seconds ahead of Norris, then Piastre, Russell (still no second stop), Perez, Alonso, Stroll, Sunoda and Hulkenberg, Haas on good race pace in Saudi Arabia.
With two laps to go, Sainz complained of deteriorating tyres, and further back Leclerc responded to Norris, who advanced with his best lap of the race. In the end nothing changed – a double victory for Ferrari in Australia, a podium finish for McLaren with Lando Norris.
George Russell crashed on the 58th and final lap, chasing Mercedes driver Fernando Alonso. The race ended in a virtual safety car phase.
Australian-GB, Albert Park Circuit
01. Carlos Sainz (E), Ferrari, 1:20:26.843 hrs
02. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, +2,366 sec
03. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, +5.904
04. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, +35,770
05. Sergio Perez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, +56,309
06. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, +1:20.992
07. Lance Stroll (CTN), Aston Martin, +1:33,222
08. Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bulls, +1:35,601
09. Nico Hulkenberg (T), Haas, +1:44.553
10. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, +1 round
11. Alex Alban (D), Williams, +1
12. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Racing Bulls, +1
13. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, +1
14. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Sauber, +1
15. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, +1
16. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, +1
outside
George Russell (GB), Mercedes, accident
Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, engine failure
Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, Bremsdefekt
Entry withdrawn: Logan Sargent (USA), Williams
(Alex Alban's crash in free practice, no replacement chassis in Australia)
World Championship standings (after 3 out of 24 Grands Prix)
driver
01. Verstappen 51 points
02. Leclerc 47
03. Perez 46
04. Signs 40
05. Plates 28
06. Norris 27
07. Alonso 20
08. Russell 18
09. Hamilton 8
10. Stroll 7
11. Oliver Pearman (GB) 6
12. Tsunoda 4
13. Hulkenberg 3
14. Magnussen 1
15. Alphon 0
16. So 0
17. Ricciardo 0
18. Okon 0
19. Casely 0
20. Potas 0
21. Sergeant 0
Constructors' Cup
01. Red Bull Racing 97 Bunge
02. Ferrari 93
03. McLaren 55
04. Aston Martin 27
05. Mercedes 26
06. Racing bulls 4
07. Haas 4
08. Williams 0
09. Saber 0
10. Alpine 0
