The Red Bull driver was unable to complete the Grand Prix, much to the delight of the supporters!
It’s obvious to see how happy Formula 1 fans were with the outcome after Max Verstappen’s unexpected DNF at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, as seen in a video that was uploaded on X. Fans were sitting trackside, cheering as the unexpected outcome dealt a rare blow to the seemingly unbeatable Red Bull, who had been unstoppable lately.
The top driver for Red Bull, Max Verstappen, and teammate Sergio Perez had finished first and second in the first two races of the 2024 season, respectively, at the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Prior to the Dutchman’s early retirement from today’s Australian Grand Prix due to severe and unique mechanical issues, Red Bull’s supremacy this season appeared inevitable.
Remarkably, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell of Mercedes did not finish the race either. Hamilton crashed badly on the last lap, allowing Carlos Sainz Jr. to win for Ferrari.
Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who raced for Ferrari, took advantage of the significant errors in this weekend’s race to place first and second, respectively, throwing a spanner in the works of Christian Horner’s otherwise perfect team.
When Verstappen’s car started to spew blue smoke in the early laps of the race, spectators couldn’t believe what they were seeing. The smoke quickly turned into flames coming from his rear right brake, but he persisted nonetheless, determined to finish the race, after hastily notifying this to his team. Other teams’ fans were observed rejoicing at the challenge, believing that Red Bull’s hegemony would subsequently cease.
After, Max Verstappen Maintained His Composure
In an interview with Sky Sports following the race, he claimed that the car felt “weird to drive on some corners” and that “the temperature (of the brake) it just kept increasing, it was like driving with the handbrake on.” He continued by saying that it is “too early” to determine exactly what went wrong during the race, but Red Bull’s mechanical staff will be eager to find a solution to this major issue in time for the Japanese Grand Prix, which takes place on Sunday, April 7.
The Dutchman was hoping to make history at the Australian Grand Prix by winning 10 straight races, but sadly, a major problem this weekend ensured that history would repeat itself. His previous DNF was in the Australian GP in 2022.
Verstappen was clearly upset about his early lead dropping by four points, but he came across as calm and collected when discussing his performance in the post-race interviews. With 21 races left in this season, he may feel secure in the knowledge that he still has plenty of opportunities to make amends after his notable leads in the prior races.
