Carlos Sainz wins F1 Australian GP after Verstappen retires early with engine fire

By STEWART BELL
Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz had ended Red Bull’s Formula 1 winning streak when the Spaniard took advantage of Max Verstappen’s early retirement to win the Australian Grand Prix just two weeks after missing the previous race in Saudi Arabia due to an emergency appendectomy. Sainz, who started on the front row alongside Verstappen, kept his place into turn one, but passed the Dutchman on lap two at turn nine for the lead and took control once his rival retired two laps later with a fiery mechanical failure. Verstappen had won the first two F1 races of the season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Sainz led home teammate Charles Leclerc for Ferrari’s first 1-2 finish since the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, with McLaren’s Lando Norris finishing in third for his first podium at Albert Park.