Dominator until the end: after starting from pole position, Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) authoritatively won the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, marked by the abandonment of his title rival, world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull).
On the asphalt of the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne, with 420,000 spectators attended over the weekend, the Monegasque beat Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull), 2nd to 20 seconds, and British George Russel l (Mercedes), 3rd to 25s.
In the fourth victory of his career - the second this season after the opening round in Bahrain - Leclerc even won the fastest lap in the race. “What a car today! This weekend we were very strong, the tires were excellent. I'm so happy. It's incredible to win here,” the winner was pleased.
“We are only in the third race, so it's hard to think about the championship, but we have a very strong and reliable car. It's great to be back in this position,” he continued.
On the other hand, the victim of a mechanical problem and forced to abandon with the engine on fire on lap 39 of the 58 scheduled, Verstappen lived a nightmarish weekend: “We have to finish the races. Today was a bad day, I managed the tires, I couldn't fight Charles.”
After finishing second, a position he retained until his abandonment, the Dutchman considered the situation “frustrating” and added: “This kind of thing, if you want to fight for the title, is unacceptable”.
Leclerc's teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. , second in the overall drivers' standings before the Australian stage, did not have a good weekend: after a modest 9th place in the standings, the driver lost control of his car, finishing his race on gravel. Then it could not reboot.
For Mercedes, meanwhile, the departure of Verstappen allowed the British George Russell to climb to the third step of the podium. The second of the season for the reigning world champion team, after Hamilton's third place in Bahrain. After finishing 5th, the seven-time world champion finished 4th.
Although since the start of the season the team has difficulty dealing with its original aerodynamic car, does this classification predict an imminent return of the 'Silver Arrows' to the leading positions? “We were a little lucky today,” Russell acknowledged.
“There is such a lot of work to return to the level. We are never going to give up, we were far behind and yet we are there, on the podium. If anyone can do it, it's Mercedes,” he said.
TOP 5 IN THE WORLD RANKINGS
1- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 71 points
2- George Russell (Mercedes) 37 points
3- Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari) 33 points
4th Checo Pérez (Red Bull) 30 points
5th Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 28 points
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