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Carlos Sainz led his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc to a spectacular one-two finish at the Australian Grand Prix, as Max Verstappen's Formula 1 dominance faced a setback.
Sainz swiftly overtook the reigning world champion's Red Bull on the second lap, only for Verstappen to retire due to brake failure after just four laps.
From then on, the Spanish driver maintained control of the race, while Leclerc made his way past McLaren's Lando Norris during the initial pit-stop phase.
The race concluded under a virtual safety car following a crash involving George Russell. In a bid for sixth place, Russell lost control of his Mercedes on the final lap, resulting in a crash, though he escaped unhurt.
Alonso and Russell faced scrutiny from stewards, with Alonso receiving a 20-second penalty and three penalty points on his license for his driving conduct.
It was a challenging day for Mercedes, as Lewis Hamilton retired due to an engine failure after 16 laps, solidifying their position as non-contenders.
Norris led McLaren to a three-four finish ahead of Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who failed to capitalize on Verstappen's retirement.
Sainz exhibited commanding performance throughout the race, demonstrating resilience just 16 days after undergoing surgery to remove his appendix, which caused him to miss the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Verstappen's unexpected retirement allowed Sainz to seize control, ultimately denying Verstappen a chance to equal his record of 10 consecutive wins.
Sainz, who had outperformed Leclerc in qualifying, maintained his lead comfortably, taking advantage of strategic maneuvers during pit stops to secure a significant advantage over his teammate.
Source - bbc.com
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