Max Verstappen had a tough battle on Sunday at the Australian Grand Prix, the third round of the 2024 F1 season.
After winning the first two races and taking pole position in Melbourne, Verstappen ran into trouble right from the jump. He was chasing down Carlos Sainz but was unable to stop him as he skidded at one turn. Then his Red Bull racing car started smoking.
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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen (right) speaks with his teammate after retiring from the F1 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Barber)
Verstappen began to lose power and was forced to retire from the race in one of the shocking events of the season. As he entered the pits, the back of his car exploded, momentarily emitting a plume of black smoke. The pit crew came to put out the fire and his day was quickly over.
“From the moment the lights went out, the right rear brake stuck,” he said later. “The temperature[inside the car]continued to rise and eventually it caught fire. They[mechanics]were able to figure out what was going on, but they didn’t know what was causing it.”
“It was a good race. I knew the day would come when I would have to retire, but unfortunately that day was today.”
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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen exits his smoke-filled car during the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne on Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Barber, Pool)
Verstappen won 19 races last season en route to his third consecutive world championship.
“It’s a shame because the car felt really good on the laps to the grid, but you can’t control these problems and these things happen,” he added. “Obviously we had a good chance of winning and the car improved throughout the weekend, so it’s a shame that we couldn’t finish the race.”
Sainz – 16 days out after appendix surgery – continued to win. Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc finished second, with McLaren’s Lando Norris third.
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Flames are seen coming from the rear of Max Verstappen’s car as he returns to the pit lane to retire at the F1 Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Barber, Pool)
Lewis Hamilton also suffered engine trouble and finished 18th. Hamilton’s teammate George Russell crashed while trying to avoid Fernando Alonso on the final lap, nearly flipping his car over.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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