Max Verstappen won the Australian Grand Prix this Sunday in a chaotic race and thus managed to retain first place in the world championship.
Verstappen started in pole position and despite being overtaken at the start by the Mercedes pairing of George Russell and Hamilton, kept his composure to win a race marred by three stoppages and several accidents.
Hamilton was second, ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who has already taken a place on all three podiums this year.
“It was a mess, but we survived everything. We won, that is the most important thing”, the Dutchman exulted after the race. “A lot happened. I was careful in the first round because I had a lot to lose and the others a lot to gain,” he analyzed.
Verstappen defended that Lewis Hamilton was not following race rules when he overtook him on the first lap. “For my part, I’ve just tried to avoid contact. It’s pretty clear in the rules what’s allowed outside now, but clearly not enforced,” he said.
“But that’s okay. We had a good pace, we passed Hamilton anyway, but it’s something to consider in the next race.”
At the Albert Park circuit, in Melbourne, Verstappen confirmed Red Bull’s superiority and opened 15 points ahead of his teammate, Mexican Sergio Pérez, in the drivers’ world championship.
With two victories (Bahrain and Australia) and a second place in Saudi Arabia (after starting fifteenth), the two-time world champion seems to have no opponents this season besides Pérez.
Red Bull, who have not won in Australia since 2011, comfortably lead the Constructors’ Championship with 123 points, to Aston Martin’s 65 and Mercedes’ 56.
Hamilton returns to the podium
After two fifth places, Lewis Hamilton took the podium for the first time in 2023, which seems to confirm the rise of Mercedes, even though George Russell abandoned the race with an engine problem.
“I didn’t expect to finish second, I’m super grateful for that. Being here and racing with Aston Martin is incredible at this point in the season,” Hamilton responded to Verstappen’s comments. “I thought it was pretty decent. He braked early and I braked late. I was totally on his side and I think we both left room for each other,” he said. “I didn’t get him off the road, he didn’t get me. We didn’t hit each other and that’s racing.”
In turn, Fernando Alonso won his 101st career podium and his third in three races this season for Aston Martin, which never ceases to surprise. “We had a rollercoaster of emotions today. Lewis did a fantastic job, I couldn’t match or get close enough. But we take third,” said Alonso.
Source: DN
