Leclerc Triumphs in Melbourne as Red Bull Struggles; Sainz Slips in Australia Race Review

Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) arrived in Melbourne ready to capitalize on early-season momentum, delivering a statement win at the Australian Grand Prix and securing his third calendar race victory for 2022. After taking the Bahrain season opener, he headed into Melbourne as a favorite in the championship battle. Max Verstappen and Red Bull faced a tougher weekend, ending with retirement late in the race after a reliability hiccup in the 19th lap. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) and George Russell (Mercedes) joined Leclerc on the podium in a dramatic race in Melbourne. Fernando Alonso (17th) finished without scoring, while Carlos Sainz endured a difficult day and saw his championship lead take a hit.

Sainz’s divergent strategy and KO

Alonso and Sainz began the weekend facing the consequences of a challenging qualifying session on Saturday. A move to a hard-start tire strategy did not pay off as expected. Sainz’s Ferrari encountered clutch problems that initially left him stuck in traffic, dropping four places to 13th. From there, he fought through a pivotal battle with Zhou and Mick Schumacher. On lap two his car slid into a corner and he found himself stuck in the gravel, an unfortunate moment that set the tone for a difficult race. Sainz left Australia disappointed, watching his title hopes slip away as he dropped out of the podium positions and lost crucial ground in the championship chase.

[Consulta la clasificación del Mundial de F1]

The race restart on lap six preserved the early order of Leclerc, Verstappen and Pérez. The opening laps surprised many as Perez pressed hard while Hamilton, chasing adaptively, attempted to regain positions as his team evaluated tire wear. Verstappen faced a test of endurance, resisting a lengthy stretch with a one-stop plan while Leclerc stretched his advantage. When Verstappen finally stopped, Leclerc had built a comfortable nine-second lead.

Alonso pushed hard and climbed through the field during the pit stops, hoping for a safety-car opportunity to regain an edge. Vettel’s crash on lap 23 disrupted Fernando’s plans and reshuffled the order, with Russell benefiting most by moving into third ahead of Pérez and Hamilton.

Red Bull fails again

When racing resumed on lap 26, Verstappen pressed aggressively on Leclerc, but the Ferrari held firm and extended its advantage. The Dutch driver could not maintain the attack and ended the late-race chase with a margin that grew to nearly five seconds before the chequered flag. With 19 laps remaining, Verstappen’s Red Bull suffered another retirement, a worrying sign for Milton Keynes as the season unfolds. Pérez, who had briefly inherited second, faced the ghost of Bahrain’s double retirement looming over his campaign.

EARTHQUAKE IN THE WORLD!

Verstappen stuck at Red Bull again due to stamina issues

Enormous! #AustraliaDAZNF1 pic.twitter.com/A1UFGwGZjA

— DAZN Spain (@DAZN_ES) April 10, 2022

During Saturday practice, Mercedes showed surprising pace with Russell and Hamilton contending for a higher podium, while Leclerc remained on a relentless pace, claiming pole and fastest lap as he forged a path to his second win of the season. Alonso, after his incident with Verstappen, fell from the main title picture and ended up mid-pack as his plan unraveled.

Australian Grand Prix (Racing)

1.Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1:27:46.548

2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) at 20″524

3. George Russell (Mercedes) at 25″593

4. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 28 inch 534

5. Lando Norris (McLaren) in 53″ 302

6. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) at 53,737

7. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) at 61″683

8. Valtteri Bottas (Alfa Romeo) at 68″ 439

9. Pierre Gasly (AlphaTauri) at 76″221

10. Alexander Albon (Williams) at 79″382

11. Guanyu Zhou (Alfa Romeo) at 81″695

12. Lance Walk (Aston Martin) at 88″598

13. Mick Schumacher (Haas) 1 lap

14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1 lap

15. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri) 1 lap

16. Nicholas Latifi (Williams) 1 lap

17. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) 1 lap

withdrawn:

Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin)

Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

Ranking of the F1 world championship (3/22)

1. Charles Leclerc (MON) 71 points

2. George Russell (GBR) 37

3. Carlos Sainz (ESP) 33

4. Sergio Perez (MEX) 30

5. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 28

6. Max Verstappen (PB) 25

7. Esteban Ocon (FRA) 20

8. Lando Norris (GBR) 16

9. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 12

Kevin Magnussen (DIN) 12

11. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 8.

12. Pierre Gasly (FRA) 6

13. Yuki Tsunoda (JAP) 4

14. Fernando Alonso (ESP) 2

15. Alexander Albon (GBR) 1

16. Guanyu Zhou (CHI) 1

17. Lance Walk (CAN) 0

18. Mick Schumacher (ALE) 0

19. Nicholas Latifi (CAN) 0

20. Sebastian Vettel (ALE) 0

21. Nico Hulkenberg (ALE) 0

Team classification:

1.Ferrari 104 points

2. Mercedes 65

3. Red Bull 55

4. McLaren 24

5. Alpine 22

6. Alfa Romeo 13

7. Haas 12

8. AlfaTauri 10

9. Williams 1