On Sunday morning, those who woke up to the scratching sound of their alarms to watch the season’s third race were unknowingly seated in front of their televisions to witness a rare natural event. By the third lap, they probably rubbed their eyes vigorously, but there was no mistake. It was then that they realized that on a day when Max Verstappen was out of the race by the third lap, we would inevitably see a different winner. The Dutchman, who had won seven consecutive races before the 2023 Singapore race and had become increasingly irritating with his dominance, seemingly caused a sense of déjà vu. The one to end his 7-race winning streak was Carlos Sainz again. His teammates Leclerc and Norris were the other ones on the podium.
Before The Start
To be honest, the weekend in Australia started with much hope for the Tifosi. Especially in P2 and P3, gaining an advantage over Red Bull in single laps brought two possibilities. Either Red Bull and particularly Verstappen were intentionally holding back power, or the unique character of the Australian track, with its fast corners, really suited Ferrari. Although we might never learn if the former was true, theoretically speaking, the latter seems quite accurate. Indeed, Ferrari’s significant improvement from last season and its unrivaled position in second place support this. However, when practice sessions ended and qualifying rounds began, Verstappen capturing the pole position by a margin was highly likely. Except for a minor nuance, that’s exactly what happened. Max secured the pole, while Ferrari followed. Despite being faster in Q1 and Q2, Sainz couldn’t maintain a perfect pace in Q3 and made mistakes in turns 9–10, narrowly missing out on being the first to take pole position from Verstappen this season.
Notes From The Race
The race itself was full of interesting stories from start to finish. With Verstappen out due to a malfunction on the third lap, a new race began on lap 4. Ferrari, with the right strategy, took the first two spots, making it quite difficult for others stuck in traffic to overtake. The directive to Leclerc, “Maintain your position and pace,” also prevented the group behind, especially the Norris-Perez duo, from closing in on the driver of the day, Sainz. At this point, it’s worth opening a bracket for Carlos Sainz. After starting the season well in Bahrain and then missing the Saudi Arabian race due to appendicitis surgery, Sainz’s pending departure from the team at the end of the season and the fact that he currently has no contract were just some of the factors driving his ambition to defeat his teammate Leclerc. In a potential Max-Mercedes alliance, the Red Bull seat, and thus the 2025 season championship, would be among the top contenders.
Hamilton’s early exit due to a malfunction and Russell’s near-miss in a major accident in the last lap were the week’s disappointments. Additionally, Australia served as a litmus test for observing the narrowing gap between the rising McLaren and Mercedes. McLaren, along with Norris and Piastri, secured points to place third in the constructors’ standings behind Red Bull and Ferrari. Another loser in the race was undoubtedly Checo Perez. The performance of the 34-year-old, whose contract ends at the season’s close, almost caused the Austrian team’s fans to tear their hair out.
The points earned by 6th and 7th-place drivers Stroll and Tsunoda, who outperformed their more experienced teammates, were among the highlights of the race. Particularly, Tsunoda’s victory over teammate Ricciardo fueled speculation about the Australian’s potential seat loss.
Haas’s Rising Form
Even though it wasn’t much discussed in the crowded news cycle, mentioning Haas, which scored in the last two races, is essential. Hulkenberg, who finished 10th in Saudi Arabia, was joined by teammate Magnussen in Australia, bringing home 3 points from 9th and 10th places. It’s fair to say they, too, will be chasing points, especially from those ahead who fail to finish the race.
The Season Starts Now
Australia, traditionally the season’s first race before 2020, generally signifies the real start of the Formula 1 season for fans. Moreover, a race where Max bids an early farewell perhaps allows us to focus on different aspects of the season. As teams continue their journey towards Japan, the battle for seats heats up day by day. The season continues to delight us fans with all its competition and intrigue where it left off.