Australian GP 2024: Carlos Sainz wins ahead of Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen retires
It remains likely that Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will once again win the world championship at the end of 2024, but Ferrari’s efforts in Melbourne show the F1 world is not without hope.
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Max Verstappen and Red Bull will beg to differ, but Carlos Sainz’ inspired victory in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix was just the result Formula One desperately needed.
At the very least, it has already destroyed the ludicrous proposition that Verstappen would win every race this season.
It’s still likely the Dutchman will capture his fourth straight world title in a canter, but it won’t be the whitewash some were predicting after he came unstuck in race three of the 24 round championship.
And F1 fans will rejoice in that because even the most committed rev heads were starting to get bored with the mundane predictability of the sport’s most glamorous category.
7.45PM: LYGON STREET PARTY IN FULL SWING
– Lauren Hutchinson
Ferrari fans flocked to Lygon Street in a sea of red to celebrate the Australian Grand Prix win.
David Lorbek, supercar expert at Lorbek Luxury Cars, one of Melbourne’s most prestigious luxury car dealerships, described the atmosphere in Lygon street as “electric”.
“This is fantastic for the Ferrari brand, great for the Australian Grand Prix, great for Victoria, great for Melbourne City,” he said.
“This is amazing the last time it was like this was over 20 years ago.”
Lovers of the classic Italian super cars cheered as Ferrari owners showed off their powerful engines revving down the infamous hub.
“It feels like we are in Italy – Lygon Street is Melbourne’s little Italy,” Mr Lorbek said.
“The crowd is amazing and the night is still young.”
‘LIFE IS SOMETIMES CRAZY’
Back in the Ferrari cockpit just a fortnight after undergoing abdominal surgery, Sainz’ win in front of a record crowd of 132,106 at Albert Park was as courageous as it was unexpected.
The underrated Spaniard still doesn’t have a contract for next year after Ferrari let him go and signed the ageing Lewis Hamilton but he overcame that disappointment and his physical ailments to take the chequered flag.
“It shows that hard work pays off and life is sometimes crazy,” Sainz said.
“It’s a rollercoaster but I loved it.”
The last driver to beat Verstappen, at Singapore last year, Sainz fully deserved his third career win as he crossed the line first under a virtual safety car, comfortably ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris, driving a McLaren.
Melbourne-born Oscar Piastri finished fourth in the other McLaren to just miss out the podium everyone in Australia was hoping for while crowd favourite Daniel Ricciardo finished a lap behind the leaders in 12th spot.
But the biggest surprise – and perhaps relief – was the rare sight of Verstappen and Red Bull’s failure.
Their domination of F1 over the past three years has been nothing short of amazing, but Verstappen’s nine-race winning streak literally went up in smoke when he was forced to retire on the third lap after his right brake caught fire and burst into flames.
“As soon as the lights went off the right rear brake just stuck on,” Verstappen said,
“That’s why the car felt really weird to drive in some corners, just very snappy.
“I was happy with what we were doing but if a brake is stuck on it doesn’t help.”
The last time Verstappen failed to finish a race was at the 2022 Australian Grand Prix.
He’s dominated the sport since but Sunday’s mechanical failure should give some hope to every other team in the paddock because it was a reminder that no driver – no matter how good they are – can win in a broken car.
There have been signs already this season that Ferrari is starting to close the gap on Red Bull, with Sainz just a heartbeat behind Verstappen in qualifying.
Unaware Verstappen had a problem, Sainz cruised past him on the second lap when DRS first became available.
“I think we would have had a good fight for P1 but I’m happy to take the win,” Sainz said. “He’s had plenty of them.”
Leclerc also finished the race strongly, setting the fastest lap of the race, but never seriously mounted a challenge to Sainz as Ferrari recorded its first one-two at Albert Park in two decades.
“Carlos had an incredible weekend, to come back after his surgery. He’s done an amazing race,” Leclerc said.
“I’m happy for him, happy for the team. We came into the weekend saying we needed to maximise the points.”
McLaren also had cause for optimism with Norris claiming his 14th career podium and Piastri just behind.
“We need to catch-up, but it’s clear we are getting closer,” Norris said.
“We are getting closer to our targets. It’s nice to be back on the podium again and hopefully we can have many more.”
The Spaniard almost missed the race, after having his appendix removed ten days ago.
“Nine days ago, when I was about to catch the flight to come to Australia, I was still in bed,” he said.
“I could barely use my abdominal to move. I was like ‘this is not going to happen’.
“But I took the flight, and suddenly when I landed in Australia, the feeling was a lot better.”
“As soon as I got my appendix removed, I went on the internet and started talking with professionals and said, ‘OK, what helps to speed up recovery?’” he said.
“And obviously from that point onwards, I started doing all the sorts of things that you can do to speed up recovery, the wounds, the scar tissue, what you can help to be faster on that, talking to other athletes, talking to other doctors in Spain, internationally.
“And then I put together a plan with my team.”
RECAP ALL THE ACTION FROM THE AUS GP AS IT HAPPENED
4.30PM: SAINZ CRUISES HOME, RUSSELL SPINS OUT
– Shane Jones
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz has won the Australian Grand Prix but the race has finished under virtual safety car after a major crash to Mercedes driver George Russell on the final lap.
Sainz was forced to miss the previous F1 race in Saudi Arabia because of appendicitis.
“I would recommend all the drivers to take it out this winter,” Sainz laughed.
“Life sometimes is crazy.
“It’s a rollercoaster (start to the year).
“Very proud of the team, it shows that the hard work pays off … it was a really good race. I felt really good out there.”
Russell lost control of the car coming into turn six and hit the wall on the left hand side after going through the sand.
His car then landed on its side on the track after his car’s wheel went underneath him.
Russell is okay but lost a chance for Mercedes to score points with both cars not finishing the race.
Charles Leclerc finished second with Lando Norris in third.
Oscar Piastri finished fourth in Australia’s best ever performance at a home Grand Prix.
Dan Ricciardo finished 12th.
A look at the major crash for George Russell on the last lap.@AlwaysRaceDay#AusGPpic.twitter.com/mP9LmOWXWL
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) March 24, 2024
LAP 58/58
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2024
Big crash for George Russell 💥
The Mercedes driver radioes to say he's okay.
The race will finish behind the Virtual Safety Car #F1#AusGPpic.twitter.com/SjooKJ8Y5v
4.15PM: SAINZ CLOSES IN ON WIN
– Shane Jones
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz is inching closer to his third F1 win, leading the Australian Grand Prix with eight laps to go.
He leads ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc with McLaren’s Lando Norris in third.
Australian Oscar Piastri is holding on to fourth and is on track for his best ever performance at home.
Fellow Australian Dan Ricciardo is 13th but is chasing down Williams driver Alex Albon for 12th.
The remnants of Verstappen's tyres following the brake issues that caused his retirement 👀#F1#AusGPpic.twitter.com/7HS4DX3Y5e
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2024
4.00PM: PIASTRI’S FINAL STOP, CAN HE STEAL THIRD?
– Shane Jones
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri makes his final stop of the race on lap 41.
The previous lap he almost lost four seconds after a mistake in the second to last corner.
At the moment it looks like he is going to rely on luck and other factors to be on the podium with the three in front of him getting away.
Carlos Sainz still leads but is yet to do his final stop.
The remnants of Verstappen's tyres following the brake issues that caused his retirement 👀#F1#AusGPpic.twitter.com/7HS4DX3Y5e
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2024
3.50PM: PIASTRI ‘SACRIFICED’ FOR QUICKER NORRIS
– Shane Jones and Rebecca Williams
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri has been overtaken by his teammate Lando Norris and the British driver is now on the podium.
Piastri was told by the team to let him through.
Norris has raced up the leaderboard, appearing to have considerably more pace than his Aussie teammate.
Before the team told Piastri to swap positions he had told pit wall he was starting to struggle.
“Starting to struggle a little more now,” Piastri said.
To which the team replied “Oscar, we’d like to swap positions.”
Oscar replied “yep”.
Thus the move was made.
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc remain the leaders.
3.35PM: FERRARI CONTINUES TO SET PACE
– Shane Jones
Everyone has now done their first pit stop of the race and it is good news for Australian fans.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri is on track for a potential podium.
He is third with the Ferrari’s of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc ahead of him in first and second.
The rest of the top ten are Lando Norris (McLaren), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), George Russell (Mercedes), Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Yuki Tsunoda (RB Honda), Alex Albon (Williams).
Dan Ricciardo is 13th in his RB Honda.
LAP 17/58
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2024
Hamilton is crawling around the track looking for a place to pull over
Looks like engine issues have ended his race âŒ
VIRTUAL SAFETY CAR #F1#AusGPpic.twitter.com/tu77Zcfi86
3.25PM: HAMILTON OUT, SAINZ LEADS
– Shane Jones
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz leads by just than seven seconds after moving away from the field following the shock retirement of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen early in the race.
He leads ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris with Red Bull’s Sergio Perez third.
Those three have yet to pit with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc the highest placed driver who has.
He is 5th with Aussie Oscar Piastri sixth.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton’s day is done, with the all-time great retiring due to an engine failure.
His car has slowed down on lap 17 and he has stopped between turns 11 and 12.
A virtual safety car has come into the race.
3.20PM: PIASTRI MOVES TO WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE
– Rebecca Williams
Hometown hero Oscar Piastri has edged closer to a spot on the podium at his home race after benefiting from the shock retirement of world champion Max Verstappen.
After 10 laps, Piastri is now sitting in fourth position after starting the race in fifth spot on the grid.
The McLaren young gun had qualified sixth, but moved up a position after Sergio Perez was hit with a three-spot grid penalty for impeding during qualifying.
Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris is sitting in second position behind race leader Carlos Sainz.
Piastri has now pitted, in order to change his tyres early.
3.10PM: DISASTER STRIKES VERSTAPPEN EARLY
The world champion’s chase for a 10th straight race win is in serious doubt with Max Verstappen already headed back to the pits with smoke coming out of the back of his Red Bull.
After losing the lead to Carlos Sainz, Verstappen told his Red Bull team that something felt loose in his car before coming to a halt, and making his way back to the pits.
Having set the fastest ever lap at Albert Park yesterday, the world champion’s day may already be done!
This race is now wide open.
LAP 4/58
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 24, 2024
DRAMA!
Verstappen's car is smoking! #F1#AusGPpic.twitter.com/FvzXvL4gqZ
3.05PM: LIGHTS OUT! WE ARE UNDERWAY
The 2024 iteration of the Australian GP is underway!
And the leader Verstappen gets away cleanly, as all drivers manage to avoid any carnage in the first turn, with Carlos Sainz hot on his heels, and just one lap in Sainz claims the lead from Verstappen!
Oscar Piastri manages to hold onto fifth as the racing gets underway across Albert Park.
RICCIARDO ‘PASSES THE TORCH’ TO PIASTRI
Following his disappointment at qualifying on Saturday, Daniel Ricciardo’s chances to make some noise in Melbourne may be gone, but the hopesof fellow Aussie Oscar Piastri remain high.
Piastri will start from fifth on the gird when the action gets underway at Albert Park, seeking his third podium finish or perhaps even his first win in Formula 1.
Ricciardo appears to have passed on the torch of the famous shoey celebration should Piastri succeed.
When pressed on whether he would, Ricciado said “I mean ideally we would share it but you have to keep the Aussies proud if you are the only one up there.”
“Challenge accepted” was the reply from the McLaren driver.
2.30PM: RICCIARDO HOPEFUL FOR A FEW SCALPS
– Rebecca Williams
Daniel Ricciardo is hopeful he can claim a “few victims” after starting from second last on the F1 grid for his home race.
“A good sleep and a new day and new opportunity. I just want to do well at home, that’s something that I would love to do more than anything,” Ricciardo said after the F1 drivers’ parade.
“I got a lot of cars in front, not really anyone behind, so I will definitely be going in one direction and hopefully get a few victims along the way.”
Asked if he was hoping for more of the red flag chaos which marred last year’s race at Albert Park, Ricciardo said he hoped to earn his moves through the field, but would take any gift that came his way.
“I don’t wish for it, I would love to obviously make my way through the field on pace and through some tremendous race craft and awesome overtakes,” Ricciardo said.
“But if a few handball a few gifts to me then I will accept them.”
2.15PM: PRESSURE MOUNTS ON RICCIARDO
– Rebecca Williams
The voice of Formula 1, David Croft, says pressure is mounting on Australian Daniel Ricciardo to lift his performances if he doesn’t want to be replaced by young Kiwi Liam Lawson.
Ricciardo will start from 18th on the grid for the Australian F1 Grand Prix after a disastrous qualifying session when he was eliminated in Q1 at his home race for the first time after his lap was deleted from the timesheets.
Croft said the RB team, which traditionally developed younger talent, was expecting more from Ricciardo at the moment.
The 34-year-old has endured a rough start to the season, finishing 13th and 16th in the opening two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Croft said Lawson was lurking in the background ready to take Ricciardo’s seat if the eight-time Grand Prix winner’s performances did not improve.
“Daniel is a driver in his mid-30s in a team that traditionally bring on the younger talent,” the F1 commentator told Fox Sports.
“There are rumours swirling around and they are only rumours … in the paddock that maybe Daniel won’t see out the season. But I don’t listen to those rumours and I only listen to what I’ve been told by the team and told by the drivers and no one is telling me he’s definitely going.
“But what I am being told is he needs to improve and find away around the inconsistencies that he is talks about because while he is having that, Yuki Tsunoda is in Q3 for the first time here.”
“A bit of chaos? Is that going to help your cause today?â€
— meredith (@mereeedithh) March 24, 2024
Some random Australian fan: “YEAH 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺â€#AusGPpic.twitter.com/k6aE6mGmRm
1.00PM: AUS GP’S TIMELY REMINDER TO FANS
Following the harrowing scenes that rocked the end of the 2023 event, the organisers at the Australian GP have one final reminder to fans.
Stay off the track.
The message that no fans will be allowed on the track at the conclusion of the main race this afternoon has been ever-present according to fans all weekend.
But will it work?
Please be reminded that there will be NO access to the track following the conclusion of the FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2024 today.
— F1 Australian Grand Prix (@ausgrandprix) March 24, 2024
Gate 1 is often the busiest after the race so please consider using an alternate Gate.#AusGP#F1pic.twitter.com/aqu7mRHfKj
Shoeys by Oscar has the official stamp of approval from Daniel ✅#AusGPpic.twitter.com/2FNS3PUz2T
— meredith (@mereeedithh) March 24, 2024
11.00AM: ‘NOT ADDING UP’ FOR DANIEL RICCIARDO
– Shane Jones
A frustrated Daniel Ricciardo admits he’s still in disbelief a mistake cost him a chance to start higher at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
In a qualifying disaster for the eight-time Formula One Grand Prix winner he will start his home race in 18th, the second-to-last row of the grid, in his worst ever performance at Albert Park.
He failed to make it out of Q1 for the first time at home after a mistake in his final lap time saw it deleted from the timesheets after exceeding track limits at turn five.
The RB Honda driver’s time of 1:17.466, his best in the session, would have been good enough to see him progress to the next stage of qualifying.
But now the 34-year-old faces a tough test to kick-start his season after struggling in the opening two rounds of the season for 13th in Bahrain and 16th in Saudi Arabia.
“I don’t think it’s fully sunk in,” Ricciardo said after his qualifying disappointment.
“I knew turn four I was fighting it and I knew I pushed a little bit wider.
“But it happens and then you think about the next corner.
“I nearly forgot about it until he (Pierre Hamelin) brought it up (my time was gone).”
“The lap, I felt like I gave it all I had, so I was happy with the lap but was not happy with still where we were in terms of the stopwatch,” he revealed.
“For me that is still not quite adding up in my head where I think it should be.
“It’s been a struggle all weekend.
“There’s still some things we are missing but I’m not sure (what) as the team has put a lot of effort in since Saudi (Arabia) to fix some things we saw.
“They adjusted the car and put some parts on here and there, it looks better but I’m still a bit sceptical.
“I just know a lap like that is normally faster (for me).”
11AM: WEATHER
It’s set to be a pleasant day at Albert Park, with a forecast maximum of 21 degrees.
Don’t expect them to get the wet tyres out, with only a five per cent chance of any rain.
10:30AM: DRIVERS LIGHT UP MELBOURNE WALK
Plenty of fans out to give today’s racers a warm welcome and as you would expect, Daniel Ricciardo had plenty of time for them as well.
6AM: HOW PIASTRI CAN TAKE F1 FIGHT TO FERRARI AND RED BULL
– Rebecca Williams
Hometown hero Oscar Piastri admitted he would need some “good fortune” to challenge for a podium in Sunday’s Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix after stating he was lucky not to be starting further back on the grid at Albert Park.
The McLaren young gun qualified sixth for his second home Grand Prix, but will start from fifth on the grid after Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was hit with a three-spot penalty for impeding Nico Hulkenberg in qualifying.
Perez’s penalty also benefited Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris, who moved up a position from fourth on the grid to third. The Mexican had qualified third and will now start sixth.
It puts both McLaren’s within striking distance of the podium, but Piastri, speaking before the penalty was handed down, predicted it “would be tough” to move further up in the order.
“We looked pretty strong in our race runs yesterday, but the cars around us also looked strong, at least the cars in front of us,” Piastri said after qualifying.
“I think to beat Red Bull and Ferrari we are going to need to find something extra or have a bit of good fortune, but honestly I think if we finish around where we start and not go further backwards, that would honestly be a good day for us.
“We’ll try our best, it’s optimistic stuff I know, but I think that’s just where we sit at the moment.
“It has just been honestly a good step forward in terms of we seem to be a bit quicker than Mercedes and Aston around here which is better than we have been in the last two rounds.”
Even before the adjusted grid positions, it was McLaren’s best collective qualifying performance of the season.
But Piastri believed he was fortunate to have qualified where he did after making what he described as “too many mistakes” in the Q3 session.
“I think it’s been a pretty solid weekend so far, I think Q1 and Q2 looked strong. Q3, first and foremost I made too many mistakes and that was the biggest reason why I am where I am,” Piastri said.
“We could have done a couple of things better in terms of out-lap preparation, too. But there was also my input in that out-lap preparation as well.
“Just too many mistakes when it mattered today. I was somewhat fortunate that I’m not further back.
“It’s not a terrible result, but (it’s just a bit disappointing because I know there was more on the table.”
Piastri started 16th on the grid for his first Australian Grand Prix last year and finished the race in eighth position.
The 2023 FIA Rookie of the Year has made a strong start to this 2024 campaign after finishing eighth and fourth in the opening two races of the season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
In his second home race at Albert Park, Piastri said he felt “more relaxed” after a lot of effort had gone into managing his schedule this year to “maximise” his racing on track.
“We have paid a lot of attention to my schedule and my commitments for the week, so from that side of things we have been diligent on that,” Piastri said.
“Not even just for this weekend, but it’s a long season and the next few races as well are fly-aways, so just trying to manage that workload has been a lot of effort put into that.
“I think also for me coming to this race this weekend has been quite a different feeling. Last year was my third race in F1 and we were struggling as a team, it was my third race back after a year out so I was still learning a lot.
“This time around I feel like it has been much more relaxed from that side of things. It has been nice, I feel like there are a few more people who know who I am this time around as well, which has been cool.
“I think it has been a good week so far and there has been a lot of effort put into trying to maximise what I can do on track.”
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Originally published as Australian GP 2024: Carlos Sainz wins ahead of Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen retires
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