Two years after being canceled at the last minute near the start of the pandemic, the FIA Formula One World Championship has finally returned to Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia. The extended Australian Grand Prix lap has also been modified to aid overtaking when it is absent from the schedule. The original revamped course had four DRS zones. Even so, race organizers reverted to the usual three DRS zones after riders raised safety concerns.
As in the two races that have run so far this season, the showdown between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc continues at the front of the field. Leclerc won pole on Saturday with three tenths of a second ahead of Verstappen. The race started in Leclerc’s favor as well.
Safety cars were deployed very early after Carlos Sainz lost control of his Ferrari on the second lap. Sainz attempted a high-speed left-right pass at intersections 9 and 10, then dashed into the grass. He slid backwards on the tracks and then crashed into his car in a gravel trap. Sainz’s car was heavily jammed all weekend which hampered his performance.
Leclerc has a speed advantage over his rival Red Bull and can pull the five-second gap. Verstappen was pitted against hard compound tires in lap 19, and Ferrari responded by puncturing its remaining driver on lap 22.
The safety car had to be deployed again in lap 23 after Sebastian Vettel turned around at exit 4 and crashed his Aston Martin into the interior wall. It was a disappointing end to Vettel’s first race of the season after testing positive for COVID and missing the first two races.
Vettel’s teammate, Lance Stroll, is said to have had an even worse weekend. He caused a collision with fellow Canadian Nicholas Latifi when Williams’ driver was passing him in qualifying. He was taken a three-place net penalty. During the race, Stroll received a penalty for the fifth time for a kick in front of Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas.
The Australian Grand Prix winner was effectively decided on lap 39 as Max Verstappen withdrew as his Red Bull caught fire on turn 1. Charles Leclerc will go on not only to win the race but also to win the race. Set the fastest lap and lead every race lap. With the addition of the pole position, Charles Leclerc became the 26th driver to win a Grand Slam in Formula 1 history.
The other two podium positions were decided in a three-way battle between Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez and both Mercedes drivers. Despite an incredible start passing two cars and finishing third, Lewis Hamilton was overtaken by Pérez just before the second safety car stage. George Russell can get ahead of Red Bull too, but he can’t maintain its position. Pérez finished second, Russell finished third, and Hamilton finished fourth.
Leclerc leads the World Drivers’ Championship by 34 points over George Russell. Formula 1 will return to Imola for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in two weeks.
