F1 Australian Grand Prix LIVE: Fernando Alonso hit with penalty after George Russell collision
Follow live updates from the Australian Grand Prix as Verstappen and Hamilton retire in Melbourne
Max Verstappen’s bid to win a record-equalling 10 consecutive races went up in smoke as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz returned from surgery just 16 days ago to win in Australia.
Verstappen suffered a brake failure after just four laps of Sunday’s 58-lap race at Melbourne’s sun-cooked Albert Park to end his winning streak which stretched back to September’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Sainz took advantage of Verstappen’s first retirement in 43 races to claim just the third win of his career a fortnight after he was ruled out of the previous round in Saudi Arabia with appendicitis.
Charles Leclerc finished second to complete a Ferrari one-two with Lando Norris next up as the British driver landed his first podium of the year. Lewis Hamilton’s miserable start to his final season with Mercedes continued after he retired on lap 17 with an engine failure.
Follow live updates from the Australian GP with The Independent
F1 Australian Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz...
“Tyres don’t feel great now!”
Just two laps to go for the Ferrari! And he has a 3.6 second lead to Leclerc...
F1 Australian Grand Prix: George Russell baring down on Fernando Alonso (LAp 56/58)
This will be the battle to watch until the end of the race, with George Russell on the tail of Fernando Alonso in the battle for sixth place.
0.5 secs between them.
Three laps to go.
F1 Australian Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz is comfortable out in front (Lap 52/58)
Seven laps to go - and it’s just a case of bringing it home for Carlos Sainz!
He is five seconds clear of his team-mate, who is 3.8 secs clear of Lando Norris.
Top-10 looks fairly set now.
1. Sainz
2. Leclerc (+5.0)
3. Norris (+3.9)
4. Piastri (+10.6)
5. Perez (+12.2)
6. Alonso (+16.9)
7. Russell (+1.1)
8. Stroll (+10.1)
9. Tsunoda (+4.2)
10. Hulkenberg (+3.8)
F1 Australian Grand Prix: Geoorge Russell pits (Lap 46/58)
After flirting with the idea of a one-stop, Russell does pit for the second time onto fresh hards.
The Mercedes car into clean air in seventh, behind Alonso and ahead of Stroll.
Top-10: Sainz, Leclerc, Norris, Piastri, Perez, Alonso, Russell, Stroll, Tsunoda, Hulkenberg
Lando Norris, four seconds behind Leclerc, sets a new fastest lap of the race...
F1 Australian Grand Prix: Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris pit (Lap 42/58)
Normal order restored.
Norris pits, before Sainz a lap later. Sainz back out in front with a six-second lead to Charles Leclerc, who is four seconds clear of Lando Norris.
Norris on six-lap fresher tyres. Game on for second....
F1 Australian Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri pits (Lap 40/58)
Bit slow for McLaren with Piastri - 3.5 seconds - and comes out behind Fernando Alonso in fifth, but in front of George Russell.
Norris coming in as well me thinks...
F1 Australian Grand Prix: Sergio Perez pits (Lap 37/58)
The Red Bull comes in and comes back out in seventh, 11 seconds behind George Russell.
Will the other cars at the front of the pack hold out with one stop? You’d have thought not.
Out in front now, Carlos Sainz has a 9.9 second lead over Lando Norris in second.
It’s in Sainz and Ferrari’s hands here.
F1 Australian Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc pits (Lap 35/58)
Will this be the start of the second wave of pit stops?
Charles Leclerc pits and comes out just in front of Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso!
Leclerc now down to P4. When will Sainz, Norris and Piastri make their move?
Top-10: Sainz, Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Perez, Alonso, Russell, Stroll, Tsunoda, Hulkenberg
F1 Australian Grand Prix: Max Verstappen...
“As soon as the lights went out, the right-rear brake went on. It was like driving with a handbrake on.
“Car felt weird to drive, very snappy. If a brake is stuck on, that doesn’t help. You accelerate and you see the right rear brake stuck on.”
F1 Australian Grand Prix: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri swap positions (Lap 29/58)
Interesting move from McLaren!
With Norris on the tail of his team-mate, McLaren swap their drivers to the dismay of the home crowd!
Piastri, on slightly older tyres, moves over without argument.
Now, can Norris go and catch Leclerc?
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