Carlos Sainz triumphs in a dramatic 2024 Australian Grand Prix

Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2024/Race Sundays

MELBOURNE, Australia -- In a race filled with high drama and unexpected twists, Carlos Sainz of Ferrari secured a stunning victory at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix, held on May 19th at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. This victory marked Ferrari's first non-Red Bull Racing win of the season and underscored Sainz's resilience and skill under pressure.

Check out the results of the Australian Grand Prix weekend, including the race results, qualifying times, and practice sessions

Sainz had to sit out the previous race in Saudi Arabia and his participation in Melbourne wasn't confirmed until Friday. Despite this, he delivered an impeccable performance.

Carlos Sainz of Ferrari finished the race in 1:20:26.843, His teammate, Charles Leclerc, also driving for Ferrari, crossed the finish line just 2.366 seconds behind him. Lando Norris of McLaren finished 5.904 seconds after Sainz, indicating a competitive pace throughout the race.

After crossing the finish line, Sainz said over the radio, "Ha-ha! It's amazing!" This was followed by a performance of his signature "Smooth Operator."

The competition was notably intense. The race began with reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing on pole, but his lead was short-lived. Sainz quickly capitalized on a bizarre moment from Verstappen, utilizing the DRS to overtake him. Shortly after, Verstappen's Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure, leading to his retirement from the race on Lap 3 due to a fire in the rear of his car.

Sainz said after race: “It was a really good race; I felt really good out there. Of course, [I’m] a bit stiff, especially physically, it wasn’t the easiest, but I was lucky that I was more or less on my own and I could manage my pace, manage the tyres, manage everything. It wasn’t the toughest race of all, but yeah, very happy, very proud of the team.”

He added: “I’m happy to be in a one-two with Charles here. It shows that hard work pays off. Life sometimes is crazy, what happened at beginning of year, then the podium in Bahrain, then the appendix, the comeback, the win, it’s a rollercoaster but I loved it and I’m extremely happy.”

Verstappen said after race: "We can see so far in the data as soon as the lights went off the right rear brake just stuck on, of course the temperature kept on increasing, so was basically driving with the handbrake on. I felt the car was really weird to drive in some corners, very snappy, the laps to the grid the car was spot on.”

He added: "I'm disappointed with not being able to finish the race because I think we would have had a good shot at winning. The balance felt quite nice on that, absolutely great. Like I felt confident and like a good improvement compared to what I felt in the long reset when we did in practice. But yeah, some things you can't control."

As the race progressed, Ferrari's strategy paid off, with Sainz building a solid lead. His teammate, Charles Leclerc, also showcased impressive performance, securing second place despite some tire graining issues after the Virtual Safety Car period. McLaren's Lando Norris rounded out the podium, achieving his 14th career podium finish.

The chaotic race also saw George Russell of Mercedes crashing out on the final lap. Russell was unhurt in the crash. FIA Stewards said that Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso contributed to Russell's accident by decelerating abruptly while Russell was closely trailing him. Alonso, who initially finished sixth, received a 20-second penalty that relegated him to eighth place. Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes retiring due to an engine failure on Lap 17. These incidents significantly reshuffled the grid, allowing other drivers to shine. Local hero Oscar Piastri delivered a strong performance, finishing just behind the podium in fourth place, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Sergio Perez of Red Bull Racing secured fifth place, earning ten points for his team. Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finished sixth and eighth, respectively, gaining points for Aston Martin. Yuki Tsunoda of RB came in seventh. Meanwhile, Haas drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen rounded out the top ten, finishing ninth and tenth, respectively.

Sainz's victory is a testament to his exceptional driving and strategic acumen, as he managed to navigate the complexities of the race flawlessly. His win has injected new excitement into the championship, breaking Red Bull Racing’s dominance and setting the stage for a thrilling season ahead.

The next race is in Suzuka International Racing Course, Suzuka, Japan on April 7.

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