Europe 1 with AFP / Photo credit: MARTIN KEEP / AFP 8:46 a.m., March 24, 2024

The Albert Park track, in the heart of Melbourne, was therefore not the scene of a tenth consecutive GP victory for “Mad Max”: for the first time since April 2022 – right here in Australia – the world championship leader had to retire due to a brake problem on his RB20.

A halt to Verstappen's hegemony. The Spaniard Carlos Sainz won in front of his teammate at Ferrari, the Monegasque Charles Leclerc, the Australian Grand Prix, 3rd round of the Formula 1 season during which the master of the circuits Max Verstappen had to retire. 

The Albert Park track, in the heart of Melbourne, was therefore not the scene of a tenth consecutive GP victory for “Mad Max”: for the first time since April 2022 – right here in Australia – the world championship leader had to retire due to a brake problem on his RB20.

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"Blue smoke"

After easily winning in the first two rounds of the season, in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the Dutchman scored his 35th pole in F1 on Saturday during qualifying. And he could logically hope to equal his record of 10 consecutive victories, established last season by beating that of the German Sebastian Vettel (9 victories in a row in 2013). But, if he managed to keep the reins of the race when the lights went out, the outgoing champion was overtaken by Sainz on the second lap, before signaling to his team a few moments later that "the blue smoke" was emanating from his car.

“As soon as the lights went out, the right brake locked up, so the car was difficult to drive from the start,” then explained “Mad Max”, who remained on 43 GPs without retirement. The Dutchman certainly remains at the top of the championship, but Charles Leclerc moves to second place and is only four points behind the leader (51 points against 47).

Carlos Sainz, two weeks after his operation

As in Singapore last September - where he ended Verstappen's first series of ten victories - Carlos Sainz, barely recovered from his appendix operation 15 days ago, did not tremble and won in Australia his 3rd victory in F1, after Singapore in 2023 and Silverstone in 2022. "It was a very good race, physically it was not the easiest but I was largely alone so I was able to manage the pace, manage the tires", reacted the Spaniard upon arrival, who was therefore returning to his seat this weekend.

Winner ahead of Leclerc, the duo offers Ferrari its first double since the Bahrain GP in 2022. “It feels good, especially for the team,” greeted Leclerc, who finished ahead of Briton Lando Norris, 3rd at the wheel of his McLaren. His teammate, the Australian Oscar Piastri, failed at the foot of the podium at the end of the race marked by the impressive accident of George Russell.

The Briton hit a wall before ending up on the left side of his car stopped in the middle of the track. An accident with no physical consequences for the driver but which concludes a GP to forget for Mercedes. Indeed, earlier, seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton - expected next year at Ferrari in place of Sainz - had to retire due to an engine problem.