Verstappen takes Red Bull Racing’s first win in Australia since 2011 additionally getting his first win on Australian soil too.
In a race that featured multiple yellow flags, two red flags, debris all over the track and multiple standing restarts, every driver that crossed the finish line in the Australian Grand Prix should be happy they finished.
But in the end, Max Verstappen held off Lewis Hamilton after a standing restart with two laps to go, to claim a maiden Australian Grand Prix victory after a chaotic race, which finished with a processional safety-car lap following a that same late restart that led to one more chaotic crash in turn 3 resulting in the safety car finish.
Verstappen looked to be cruising to a comfortable win having reclaimed the lead after losing out to George Russell and Hamilton during a frantic opening, but Kevin Magnussen’s crash and an ensuing second red flag of the race set up a two-lap sprint to the finish from a standing start.
The reigning world champion stayed in front of Hamilton off the line, before a crash between third-placed Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz behind him set off a series of other collisions, with Alpine team-mates Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon taking each other out from points-scoring positions.
A third red flag followed, along with further confusion and controversy as there was a long wait before the FIA decided to restore the order from before the restart to complete the one remaining lap behind the safety car, because the cars had not made it far enough around the track for the updated classification to be confirmed before the red flag came out. A post-race appeal from Haas on that issue was dismissed several hours after the race.
That meant that Alonso returned to third, where the 41-year-old has finished all three races this season for Aston Martin, but Sainz was left devastated as a five-second penalty for causing the collision saw him relegated to being last of the 12 cars that finished, leaving Ferrari pointless after Charles Leclerc’s first-lap retirement.
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 02: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 takes the chequered flag during the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on April 02, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202304020189 // Usage for editorial use only //
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 02: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on April 02, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202304020234 // Usage for editorial use only //
More than two and a half hours after the race had begun, Verstappen was left to take the checkered flag unchallenged and complete his second win in three races this season, while Hamilton secured his first podium of the campaign. Despite the chaos, Verstappen and Hamilton 1-2 on the podium feels correct as they had been 1-2 the entire race. As for who should be ordered behind them, that is up for debate whether you approved of the stewards running
“My start today wasn’t amazing and then on lap 1 I was very careful as there was a lot on the line, I had a lot to lose and a lot to win," said Verstappen post race. “But after that restart, we had good pace and a decent gap for the majority of the race. Perhaps we didn’t need all of those red flags today, it was frustrating, but everyone was safe and we won which is the most important thing. It’s my first win in Australia which feels really good, it’s also been a while for the Team so it means a lot to us all, especially as Checo also had a good recovery drive today. It’s been a chaotic day but it’s great to see that the fans had a great time despite the long wait!”
