Carlos Sainz Wins in Australia as Max Verstappen Suffers Mechanical, GFT AI Driver Points Tighten

24 March 2024
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Round 3 of the F1 calendar sent the grid to sunny Melbourne, Australia for the Rolex Australian GP on the 5.278-kilometre Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit.

Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying and started the GP from Pole Position, quickly establishing a comfortable lead. Then it happened. On lap 3 smoke appeared from the rear of Verstappen’s Red Bull №1 in what turned out to be a catastrophic brake failure and fire leading to Verstappen retiring from the race early.

Max Verstappen held the lead at the start, but it would not last for long… (Image Credit: formula1.com)

Red Bull Racing crews assist Max Verstappen in exiting the car while extinguishing the fire at the right rear brake assembly (Image Credit: formula1.com)

Ferrari Capitalizes
This sudden turn of events opened the door for Sainz, who seized the opportunity and powered his Ferrari to the win.

The race also saw strong performances from other teams. Charles Leclerc, Sainz’s teammate at Ferrari, secured a second-place finish, while Lando Norris delivered an impressive performance for McLaren, claiming the third step on the podium.

Carlos Sainz and Ferrari celebrate victory at Albert Park in Melbourne following the Australian GP win (Image Credit: formula1.com)

Sainz’s victory at the Australian Grand Prix marks a significant moment in the 2024 Formula 1 season. It injects a dose of excitement into the championship battle and demonstrates Ferrari’s potential to challenge Red Bull’s dominance.

Go Full Throttle F1 AI Driver Rankings following the Australian GP on March 24, 2024 at the Melbourne Albert Park Circuit (Image Credit: GFT Digital)

FORMULA 1 ROLEX AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2024 Race Results:

Up Next:
Round 4 on the 2024 F1 calendar is the Japanese Grand Prix on the famed Suzuka circuit April 5–7.