2023 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix highlights

Introduction

Max Verstappen claimed victory throughout a wild and action-packed 2023 Components 1 Australian Grand Prix, overcoming battles with the Mercedes drivers, a number of Security Automobiles and three purple flags to steer residence Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

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Verstappen misplaced out to George Russell and Hamilton on the authentic race begin earlier than the Security Automotive made two appearances rapidly as a result of Charles Leclerc retiring from a collision with Lance Stroll and Alex Albon crashing out closely.

A subsequent purple flag for Albon’s incident introduced the sector again to the pits. Hamilton led Verstappen and Alonso, profiting from misfortune for Russell and Carlos Sainz, the 2 front-runners, to tackle contemporary tyres simply earlier than the stoppage.

With a free selection of tyres for the restart, Hamilton initially held the lead from Verstappen. Nonetheless, the Crimson Bull driver quickly obtained inside DRS vary and moved again into P1 moments earlier than Russell’s distress was compounded by an obvious engine failure.

Verstappen dismissed the early drama to maneuver into a snug lead because the race developed. On the identical time, Hamilton held P2 and set about managing the hole again to Alonso, who the recovering Sainz and Pierre Gasly joined in a struggle for the rostrum positions.

However simply because the order seemed to be locked in, one other Security Automotive, after which one other purple flag, was triggered late on when Kevin Magnussen thumped the wall exiting Flip 2, misplaced his rear-right wheel and unfold particles from his Haas over the racing line.

It meant a 3rd standing begin and the prospect of a two-lap shootout on delicate tyres, however only a matter of seconds handed earlier than additional contact and drama as Sainz tipped fellow Spaniard Alonso right into a spin within the Flip 1 bottleneck.

Behind, Gasly took avoiding motion and collided with Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon as he rejoined the circuit, placing each drivers out on the spot. On the identical time, Logan Sargeant bumped into the again of Nyck de Vries, and Sergio Perez – who had risen from the pit lane – and Stroll had separate off-track excursions.

After some confusion over how the race would proceed and the outcomes can be decided, proceedings had been resumed – and finally settled – behind the Security Automotive within the order of the earlier begin, minus the vehicles that had been eradicated.

A rolling begin took the sector to the chequered flag, with Verstappen crossing the road for his first victory in Australia. Hamilton and Alonso accomplished the rostrum forward of Sainz, Stroll, Perez and Lando Norris.

Nevertheless, Sainz was hit with a five-second time penalty for his conflict with Alonso, selling everybody behind him as Nico Hulkenberg took P7, from residence favorite Oscar Piastri, Zhou Guanyu, Yuki Tsunoda – inheriting the ultimate level – and Valtteri Bottas.

De Vries, Sargeant, Magnussen, Russell, Albon and Leclerc watched the ultimate lap from the sidelines because the solar set on a massively dramatic day on the Albert Park Circuit.

Mario Isola, Motorsport Director, Pirelli:

This was a genuinely eventful Australian Grand Prix, with three purple flag intervals, a security automotive, and a digital security automotive. All these occurrences successfully outlined how the methods shook out, whereas by way of tyre behaviour, the compounds carried out as we anticipated them to, with the arduous C2 tyre taking part in a number one function. When the primary security automotive got here out after Albon went off on lap seven, some drivers who had began on the mediums switched to the arduous – adopted by others as soon as the purple flag got here out to permit the observe to be cleaned.

Regardless of not having a lot data over lengthy runs – only a few drivers strung collectively stints of longer than ten laps or so in free observe – the C2 confirmed itself to be a really constant tyre by way of degradation and never removed from the tempo of different nominated compounds, fulfilling all of the calls for positioned on it. The truth that we noticed all three compounds on the beginning grid highlights how bringing the C4 tyre to Melbourne this 12 months was the right selection, because it was judged to be a sound race tyre in addition to turning into the protagonist of the ultimate run to the flag, thanks to 2 purple flag intervals that had been nearly consecutive. This compound and the medium carried out nicely right now, albeit over comparatively quick stints, with larger temperatures and a extra rubbered-in floor.

How the race was received:

Crimson Bull’s Max Verstappen received the Australian Grand Prix for the primary time. In an action-packed race, the reigning world champion led two different world champions previous the chequered flag: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. All of the podium finishers ended the race on the P Zero Crimson delicate, following a tyre change one lap from the end…

The Australian Grand Prix was interrupted by three security automotive intervals and three purple flag intervals, together with a purple flag only a lap from the end, main to 2 standing and a ultimate rolling begin. The digital security automotive additionally appeared as a result of a automotive stopping on the exit of the pitlane.

The frequent security automotive intervals and different race interruptions largely influenced the race methods. The highest three began on the P Zero Yellow medium after which went onto the P Zero White arduous on the first neutralisation. As an alternative, the final three laps had been run on two units of sentimental tyres.

A complete of 10 drivers accomplished the longest stint on the arduous tyre, protecting 47 laps on this compound, together with all three podium finishers. Alpine’s Esteban Ocon stored the identical arduous tyres he had fitted on lap one with out altering them in the course of the first red-flag interval, finishing 54 laps on the identical tyres. Alfa Romeo drivers Valtteri Bottas and Guanyou Zhou additionally used the identical set of arduous tyres for greater than 50 laps.

AlphaTauri’s Nyck De Vries was as a substitute the motive force to finish essentially the most consecutive laps on the 2 different out there compounds: 37 on the medium and 9 on the delicate.

Crimson Bull’s Sergio Perez set the quickest lap of the race, utilizing the arduous tyre (1m20.235s), and was additionally one of many drivers to finish the longest stint on this compound. Alonso and De Vries had been the quickest on the medium and delicate tyres, setting 1m22.603s and 1m21.183s on these compounds, respectively.

What’s subsequent?

After a really intense begin with three races in a single month, there’s a quick pause for the FIA Components One World Championship. Subsequent up is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, from April 28 to 30, supported additionally by Components 2. Only one week after that comes the primary of three American races this 12 months, with Miami internet hosting its grand prix across the Arduous Rock stadium for the second 12 months.