Pole sitter Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing led the opening laps of the Australian Grand Prix as expected, and it looked like business as usual had resumed. But just as millions of fans began to settle down in their living room couches, and in the packed grandstands at Albert Park, there was a brake issue drama for the champion!
Verstappen first slowed down on lap 3 as plumes of smoke began to engulf the right rear wheel, but then he finally pulled into the pit lane to retire the almost-infallible RB20.
Sainz inherited the lead and never surrendered it until the chequered flag dropped. It was the tenacious Spaniard’s third Formula One victory. What was particularly interesting was that both he and teammate Charles Leclerc managed to stay with Max’s trademark initial few ‘getaway’ laps. In the midfield, the Ferrari-powered HAASes of Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen finished in P9 and P10, respectively. Has Ferrari found the sweet spot between reliability and competitiveness?
Had they dialled in the SF24 to work perfectly for their drivers on Sunday? Was this their real ‘plan A’? Would they have won even if Max’s car held together?
Verstappen’s Qualifying effort on Saturday was spectacular; did it, however, disguise the true race pace of the RB20? Melbourne has traditionally been a strong hunting ground for the Scuderia, but do they have the blistering pace of the champions yet?
We won’t have to wait for long to find out, as coming up this weekend, is the classic high-speed, figure-of-8 circuit that rewards a perfectly balanced car — Suzuka, Japan!
One look at the most-wins-in-Japan list suggests that whoever won here, won the Driver’s championship too. Charles Leclerc took the extra point for the fastest lap last weekend, as well as the previous one. The Monegasque lies second in the championship, currently only four points adrift of Verstappen.
Although it was Verstappen’s first DNF in almost two years and Sainz’ incredible comeback from surgery that were the highlights of Australia, it’s time for Leclerc to fight his way back into the spotlight.
And the land of the rising sun could be the perfect venue to remind everyone of his natural fiery pace, especially when his scarlet Ferrari SF24 looks like the real deal.
Round 4 | Japan | Sunday, April 7, 10:30 am | LIVE on F1TV App
