F1 Australian Grand Prix: Sainz wins in Ferrari one-two after fire forces Red Bull’s Verstappen to quit race
- Verstappen last just three pals, tells Red Bull engineers ‘I have smoke … fire, fire, brake, my brakes’
- Carlos Sainz takes first win of the season just weeks after having appendix removed, Charles Leclerc second, Lando Norris third
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz won the Australian Grand Prix in a Ferrari one-two on Sunday, in a race thrown wide open by the early retirement of world champion Max Verstappen.
Sainz, who had appendicitis surgery just two weeks ago, took the chequered flag 2.3 seconds ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc, with McLaren’s Lando Norris a bold third.
Verstappen started from pole but was passed by Sainz on lap two before smoke started billowing from a rear wheel on his Red Bull and he limped to the pits.
“The car is loose,” Verstappen told his team as he battled with understeer, and soon after was heard on the radio telling Red Bull engineers, “I have smoke … fire, fire, brake, my brakes.”
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was another early retirement with an engine failure on lap 17. To add to Mercedes’ woes, teammate George Russell crashed heavily on the last lap with the car ending on its side. Russell climbed out unscathed.
While Verstappen was favoured to win, the Ferraris had proved highly competitive in practice and qualifying on the fast and flowing Albert Park track.