(Motorsport) Championship leader Charles Leclerc put on an impressive display at Albert Park, leading the race from start to finish and winning the Australian Open for the first time in his career, a track that he has traditionally struggled on. Meanwhile, reigning champion Max Verstappen suffered another DNF (first one being in Bahrain) and was told to stop his Red Bull with 20 laps remaining when smoke began rising from his car. The points gap between the two drivers is now 34 and such was Ferrari’s dominance that any other result except for a Leclerc win would have been impossible and the F1-75 also managed to get the fastest lap of the race, helping the Monegasque driver amass 26 points.
Speaking after the race, Leclerc said “The car was incredible today. We are only at the third race so it is difficult to think about the championship. But we have a very strong car, a very reliable car too, and for now we have always been there. I hope it continues like this and if it does we will probably have chances for the championship, which makes me happy after the last two seasons, which have been difficult for the team.
“I have been in this situation in the junior categories but to be in it in F1 means a lot, especially after the last two years and especially with a team like Ferrari. It feels incredible. The mindset is a bit different compared to the last two years because now I know that underneath me I have a car that is capable of winning and I don't really have to overdo things to do something extremely special and spectacular to get one or two positions – because I know it is in the car and I just have to do the job."
One of the biggest challenges Ferrari will face now is to maintain their dominance in what is the longest Formula 1 season to date. Both Red Bull and Mercedes will be having upgrade packages implemented in their cars throughout the year and Ferrari will need to be up to the task if they want to win their first World Championship in over a decade. In the last three occasions when Ferrari has been a potential contender, they have failed to rise up to the challenge.
Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz had a disappointing weekend, finishing ninth in qualification and dropped positions early on with the hard tyre and braked too late in the final sector, resulting in his car running over the grass and into the gravel. Both Mercedes and McLaren capitalised on Sainz and Verstappen’s misfortune, with McLaren achieving their first double top 10 of the season as Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth and sixth. Despite showing promising signs with the Alpine, Fernando Alonso failed to finish in the top 10 while Alex Albon secured his first points of the season.
Australian GP race result: Top 10
1) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
2) Sergio Perez, Red Bull
3) George Russell, Mercedes
4) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
5) Lando Norris, McLaren
6) Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren
7) Esteban Ocon, Alpine
8) Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo
9) Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri
10) Alex Albon, Williams
Also read: Formula 1: What are the problems affecting Mercedes this season?
