Miguel A. Herguedas

Updated Sunday, March 24, 2024-07:05

  • Australian GP Classification and times

  • Carlos Sainz From the hospital to the front line

  • World Cup 2024 Verstappen, leader

With the scars on his abdomen still fresh, still diminished by a surgery that had left him out of action just two weeks ago,

Carlos Sainz

dominated overwhelmingly in Albert Park, on his way to his third victory in Formula 1. The most authoritarian, the most symbolic, the one that put an end to

Max Verstappen

's nine consecutive streak

, victim of a brake failure. Red Bull, for once, was vulnerable and

Charles Leclerc

completed the double for Ferrari. The red delirium in Melbourne and Sainz's emotion on the radio, almost in tears: "Life is a roller coaster."

On the way to the podium, with the Spanish flag in his hand, Carlos still indulged in jokes with Leclerc and his friend

Lando Norris

, who was closing the podium. Shortly before crossing the finish line he had already ordered his mechanics for the Monegasque to come over for the joint celebration. He had plenty of time, because a hard accident by

George Russell

against the barriers in Turn 6 had slowed down the race on the last lap. It didn't matter either that Leclerc had taken away the fast lap bonus. No one could argue with Sainz's prominence, which he controlled as he pleased.

Running with singular regularity in 1:21, the Madrid native overwhelmed the competition during his two relays with the hard tire. He did not even grant the doubt to Ferrari, removing Leclerc from the DRS radar. He grew stronger as weakness ate him up inside. Now it may seem advantageous to write it, but not even Verstappen himself seemed in a position to cling to his trail. Although it is not comparable,

Sergio Pérez

had enough to hold on to

Fernando Alonso

, sixth at the finish line.

Hamilton's Break

Everything that Formula 1 had been waiting for for months took shape in Albert Park. The crushing dominance of Red Bull, turned into soporific monotony, suddenly turned to cinders. "I just lost the car. It was really strange," Verstappen overtook over the radio after a stranger at Turn 9. By then, Sainz had already shaken him off on the second lap, demonstrating the brio of his Ferrari. A few meters ahead, a trickle of smoke began to emanate from the RB20. The brakes on the right rear wheel were on fire. In exactly the same scenario, exactly two years later, the three-time world champion was knocked out.

The emptiness of

Mad Max

left the favorites stunned. Ferrari saw the doors of heaven opening, McLaren calculated its podium options and Red Bull placed its options on Pérez's shoulders. As if there were no incentives left, Lewis Hamilton inflamed spirits on the seventh lap with an early pass through the pits. Two laps later,

Oscar Piastri

and Leclerc, looking for an

undercut

against Norris, also changed their tires. The hard compound had to last 25 laps, but Sainz, with the medium, continued setting the times, without anyone bothering him.

There was interest in how Ferrari would manage the

graining

of its tires. At the wheel of a completely balanced car, Sainz did not show a single sign of weakness. He was even able to manage his advantage over Leclerc and the McLarens. After stretching the media to the maximum for 16 laps, the first stop was completed by the red mechanics in 2.6 seconds. A breath.

Sainz, driving the SF-24, on Sunday in Albert Park.AFP

Behind, Alonso showed a more than notable cruising pace on the hard ones, riding almost at the same time as Pérez and Norris. Aston Martin intended to extend the useful life of the tires, waiting for any eventuality. And for once, fortune allied itself with the Asturian. The abandonment of Hamilton, victim of an engine failure at the exit of turn 10, caused the

virtual safety car

. A gift from heaven for Alonso, who gained five positions.

Of course, the yellow tires forced Fernando to do a lot of work, with times almost identical to those of

Lance Stroll

. He wanted to deny the spaces to Pérez, but the Mexican took the position from him on lap 27, with a simple maneuver at the arrival of turn 9. Nothing to object to his Sunday, blessed with glory for Sainz.