Australian GP, ​​a chaos to soon forget

the dutch max verstappen (Red Bull) sweeps this season in the Formula 1. This was demonstrated by his victory in the Australian Grand Prixthe third round of the Championship that was stopped three times due to accidents and that ended with the cars crossing the finish line behind the safety car.

The two-time champion was escorted by the English lewis hamilton (Mercedes) and Spanish Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), the other driver who, together with Mad Max, has climbed all the podiums this year.

Photo: Peter Fox/Getty Images.

The first red flag came on lap eight at Albert Park after the Thai Alex Albón (Williams) lost the rear of his car hitting the barriers at turn 6.

Verstappen, overtaken by the two Mercedes at the start, was then second behind Hamilton (George Russell, first up to then, stopped to change tires) and had problems at the restart, but found his rhythm and a short time later gave Hamilton’s account.

When the defending champion was about to celebrate victory, with only two laps to go, the race had to be interrupted again because the Dane Kevin Magnussen He collided with a wall and lost the right rear tire of his Haas.

The FIA ​​decided to resume the race with a start with stopped cars, but a multiple accident, with the Alpine touching each other and the spanish Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) taking Alonso ahead, caused a third red flag.

The Race Direction decided to resume the appointment behind the safety car in the order of the previous start, that is, with the two-time world champion third and the man from Madrid fourth, considering that the cars had not gone through the first sector and that any overtaking did not count. In addition, Sainz was given a five-second penalty for considering him responsible for the incident.

Verstappen confirmed the supremacy of Red Bull and he escapes in the drivers’ championship, since he leads his teammate by fifteen points Sergio Perezwho finished in fifth position after starting last on the starting grid, in a weekend to forget.

With two victories in Bahrain and Australia, and a second in Saudi Arabia (after starting fifteenth), Verstappen is having an excellent start to the season and seems untouchable behind the wheel of his RB 19. Apart from Checo, no one seems to worry him. .

After two fifth places obtained at the start of the championship, Hamilton achieved his first podium of the season, which seems to show the rise in power of the Mercedes, despite the fact that his compatriot George Russellwho came to lead the race after the initial start, was forced to retire with his engine burning.

For his part, Alonso achieved the 101st podium of his career at the age of 41, the third in three events this season at the wheel of his Aston Martin, which did not quite surprise.

things were worse for Ferrariwho in addition to regretting the sanction of Sainz, who was left out of the points, had to see how the Monegasque charles leclerc he had to retire after colliding with Stroll in turn 3 during the first lap; the current runner-up in the world only accumulates six points in three races.

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX RESULTS

DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP

BUILDERS CUP