Ferrari pulled out a big win at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, capitalizing on some mishaps by Red Bull Racing.
Carlos Sainz began the race in P2 and cruised to victory after some issues resulted in Max Verstappen’s retirement from the race. Sainz had been in a hospital bed 16 days prior due to appendicitis, but still pulled out the win.
In unusual fashion for Red Bull Racing, neither Verstappen nor Sergio Perez finished on the podium. After experiencing mechanical issues on lap 1, Verstappen was forced to retire after lap 3, while Perez, who was assessed a three-place grid penalty after qualifying, was unable to battle his way through the grid and finished fifth.
With Red Bull out of the picture, the race became a competition between Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes. However, Lewis Hamilton was forced to retire early with engine issues and George Russell crashed into the wall on the lap, resulting in 0 points for Mercedes.
Sainz claimed victory, while Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris of McLaren rounded out the podium.
Ferrari now sits four points behind Red Bull Racing in the Constructor’s Championship Standings. The season is still in its infancy, but Red Bull will have two weeks to address its mechanical deficiencies and demonstrate if it can return to its dominant form at the Japanese Grand Prix.
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