Max Verstappen’s winning streak came to an abrupt halt during the Australian Grand Prix as a malfunctioning brake forced him to retire after only a few laps. Despite securing pole position and leading initially, Verstappen was quickly overtaken by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Smoke billowed from Verstappen’s Red Bull Racing car, leading to his retirement on lap 3 due to the brake issue.
It was basically like driving with the handbrake on, so, of course, the temperature just kept on increasing, and then I could see smoke appear as it had caught fire.”
Reflecting on the disappointment, Verstappen expressed regret at not being able to finish the race despite having a competitive car. He acknowledged that such mechanical issues are beyond his control and praised the team’s efforts in improving the car throughout the weekend.
Meanwhile, Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, faced his own challenges during the race. Starting sixth due to a grid penalty, Perez struggled with race pace throughout the weekend. Despite managing to overtake George Russell, he failed to challenge the leading Ferraris and McLarens. Perez described the weekend as less than ideal, citing issues with the car’s balance and tire degradation.
Despite Verstappen’s retirement, he maintains his championship lead, although it has been reduced to four points over Charles Leclerc, with Perez trailing by five points. Carlos Sainz, the race winner, is now 11 points behind Verstappen in the championship standings.
