What do you get when you mix intermittent rain, six retirements and a driver finally breaking Max Verstappen’s (Red Bull) streak of leading the WDC? One of the most dramatic Australian Grands Prix in years.
Lando Norris (McLaren) won the Grand Prix after a late-race scare that affected his teammate, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and sent him from the top three to ninth place. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) getting second place was also great considering the weather. However, Red Bull won’t be able to win a Constructors’ Championship this year if Red Bull’s other driver, Liam Lawson (Red Bull), cannot match Verstappen’s pace.
Red Bull’s issues were nothing compared to the carnage across the rest of the grid. Nearly half the field didn’t even make it to the checkered flag. Isack Hadjar (Visa CashApp Racing Bulls) unfortunately retired in the formation lap. It was heartbreaking to see, especially since he seemed to take it so hard. Luckily, Lewis Hamilton’s (Ferrari) dad was there to comfort him, and I’m sure it was a welcome moment.
Hadjar wasn’t alone in his disappointment. Jack Doohan (Alpine), Carlos Sainz (Williams), Gabriel Borteleto (Kick Sauber), Liam Lawson (Red Bull) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) also fell victim to either the treacherous weather or mechanical failures. But while they watched from the garage, most of their teammates managed to bring home solid results. Alex Albon (Williams) finished 5th (after an overturned penalty), Verstappen secured 2nd, Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) took 6th and Nico Hülkenberg (Kick Sauber) claimed 7th.
Some drivers missed out on the top ten, but no one had a tougher race than Piastri. A strong qualifying performance gave him hope for a dream home race, but the combination of rain and tricky conditions left him clinging to P9 by the end. Hopefully he’ll have better luck in the rest of the season.
If the Australian Grand Prix was any indication, this season is about to get very interesting.