Max Verstappen wins the chaotic red flag-filled Australian Grand Prix 2023 in Melbourne
Following a chaotic race at Melbourne’s Albert Park, Max Verstappen has won his first F1 Australian Grand Prix.
The reigning champion was the heavy favorite going into the race, but he was passed on the first lap by Mercedes duo George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
After an early safety car due to Charles Leclerc’s gravel beaching, Alex Albon’s crash seven laps later resulted in the race being red-flagged.
Verstappen asserted his dominance and built a commanding lead once the race resumed.
However, after Kevin Magnussen lost his rear tire, a late second red flag was displayed, leaving two dramatic laps to be completed.
When the race resumed, chaos and collisions ensued, highlighted by a heavy crash between Alpine teammates Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon.
This resulted in a third red flag, with the race eventually ending behind a safety car.
MORE: 2023 Formula One Schedule: Dates, Start Times, TV, Live Stream
Results of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen finally wins his first Australian Grand Prix.
Verstappen’s first victory at the Australian Grand Prix was only a matter of time.
He finished third in 2019, had the race cancelled twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and had a car breakdown the previous year.
This time, however, he won – and it was well deserved.
Verstappen lost two positions on the first lap but kept his cool, eventually passing Hamilton for the lead after the first red flag.
He put his head down from then on, establishing a commanding lead that couldn’t be overtaken, even after two late dramatic red flags.
Carlos Sainz is penalized late and loses points.
Sainz’s experience at Albert Park ended in disappointment after battling for a podium position for the majority of the race.
The Ferrari driver clipped Alonso during the second red flag restart, earning him a five-second time penalty from the race officials.
The decision was contentious because the FIA re-established the race order as it had been prior to the restart, implying that Alonso had not lost his place and that the lap was effectively discounted.
“No! This is unacceptable. They should wait until the race is over before discussing it with me “On the team radio, Sainz stated.
He dropped to P12 as a result of the penalty, with the drivers crossing the finish line in a tight pack.
When Sky Sports F1 interviewed him after the race, the Spaniard declined to comment on the matter.
Oscar Piastri earns points in his home debut
Piastri will not be complaining about securing points in his first F1 race in Australia, even if it did not go as planned.
The Melbourne native started P16 but drove maturely to finish P8 and earn his first championship points.
Lando Norris, another McLaren driver, finished in sixth place.
At the Australian Grand Prix, who was named F1 Driver of the Day?
After an impressive performance at Albert Park, Red Bull’s Sergio Perez was voted F1 Driver of the Day.
The Mexican accelerated from a pit lane start to finish fifth.
Updates and highlights from the 2023 Australian Grand Prix: As it turned out
CHEQUERED FLAG: Max Verstappen wins the Australian Grand Prix in 2023!!!
That was quite an experience. The race ended in a disappointing and bizarre manner, but it was filled with chaos, collisions, and confusion.
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso join Verstappen on the podium, rounding out an unlikely trio of point scorers.
Lap 58: We’re back on track (again) for another lap behind the safety car.
After 30 minutes, Sainz has been given a five-second penalty for his collision with Alonso.
25 minutes since the red flag: At 17:33 local time, the race will be restarted for the third (!!) time in 10 minutes.
15 minutes since the red flag: This race WILL be restarted, but with a safety car. Before the drivers cross the finish line, the safety car will arrive.
Verstappen, Hamilton, Alonso, Sainz, Stroll, Perez, Norris, Hülkenberg, Piastri, Guanyu, Tsunoda, and Bottas lead the final lap.
Because the cars did not complete the first sector of the track following the second restart, the FIA was unable to determine an accurate new order.
5 minutes since the red flag: There was a lot that happened in that restart, but here’s what we’ve seen so far:
In Turn 1, Gasly locks up
Sainz clips Alonso from behind and he ends up on the grass.
Sargeant collides with de Vries, and both drivers end up in the gravel trap.
Moments later, Ocon collides with Gasly’s rear, causing both drivers to crash into the wall.
RED FLAG: There are no surprises here, as a third red flag is displayed.
As we wait to see how this race will end, the race stewards have announced that the restart procedure is being investigated.
Lap 57: Total carnage from the start!! Several cars collide in the first corner before the Alpine duo of Gasly and Ocon collide and crash hard into a barrier.
15 minutes after the red flag: Here we go… Cars have returned to the track for what promises to be a frantic finale. The race will resume with a standing start.
5 minutes since the red flag: At 16:56 local time, the race will resume in less than 10 minutes.
RED FLAG: Once more! The drivers have been called in to ensure that we get some racing action before the race ends. When we finally resume, there will be two laps left to complete.
SAFETY CAR! Lap 54 Magnussen’s right rear tire has completely blown out, but he has moved to the side of the track. His tire, on the other hand, is on the track, so a safety car has been dispatched.
Piastri and Zhou have pitted, hoping to resume racing before lap 58.
Lap 52: Lando gets the better of Hülkenberg with a deft overtake. The McLaren driver is now in eighth place.
Lap 48: Verstappen has an uneasy moment, locking his tires and running onto the grass. He still has a commanding lead, but his voice on the radio is clearly agitated.
Perez is still on a tear on lap 46. After starting from the pit lane, the Mexican is now in seventh place. Stroll is the next driver he wants to catch, but he has more than four seconds to do so.
Lap 41: A tasty battle for podium positions is brewing… Fourth-placed Sainz is almost a second faster than Alonso, who is just over a second slower than Hamilton. Gasly is also hot on their tail.
Logan Sargeant is the first driver to return to the pits for new tires on lap 37. Will any more drivers pit for new tires with 20 laps remaining?
Lap 36: George Russell wasted no time in venting his rage on Twitter…
Lap 35: It’s also worth noting Nico Hülkenberg’s strong performance thus far. The veteran is now in P7 and shows no signs of slowing down.
Lap 32: Verstappen has quietly established a dominant advantage, as is his wont. He now has a lead of more than eight seconds over Hamilton.
Lap 28: Both Alpine drivers are doing well today. Gasly has held his own in P5, while Ocon has charged from the back to sit in the points.
Lap 23: We’re only halfway through the race, but Perez has climbed into the points. Taking full advantage of Red Bull’s incredible DRS speed.
Lap 20: The top three are now Verstappen, Hamilton, and Alonso. The trio is separated by five seconds.
VIRTUAL SAFETY CAR! Lap 18 George Russell has been eliminated from the race after his power unit appeared to fail and catch fire. The young British driver emerges from the car safely, but clearly disappointed after such a promising start.
Lap 15: Some exciting battles behind the podium, with Russell climbing to fourth place. Gasly, Sainz, and Stroll are also vying for P5.
Verstappen takes the lead on lap 12! The reigning champion approaches Hamilton’s DRS zone and takes advantage of a sweeping corner. He then accelerates in his Red Bull, gaining a two-second lead by the end of the lap.
Lap 9: We’re back on track, and Hamilton maintains his lead! Russell has progressed to P5. After a collision with Esteban Ocon, Nyck de Vries went briefly airborne and off track, but he is still racing.
15 minutes after the red flag has been raised, the cars are making their way back onto the track. The race will restart on the grid in a standing start format.
The race will resume in 10 minutes at 15:33 local time, 5 minutes after the red flag.
RED FLAG: The race director has called for a red flag due to the mess of gravel and debris left by Albon’s crash. The drivers will now return to the pit lane.
Russell is now stuck in P7, which is a cruel blow. His Mercedes teammate Hamilton, on the other hand, will now take the lead when the race resumes.
SAFETY CAR! Lap 7: Alex Albon lost control and crashed, resulting in the race’s second safety car. It’s a shame for the Williams driver, who was running in seventh place. He got out of the car and is fine.
More drivers, including race leader Russell, have requested hard tires.
Lap 6: Verstappen is determined to reclaim his position, setting the fastest lap of the race. He is, however, still trailing the Mercedes duo of Russell and Hamilton.
Lap 3: We’re back on track! Russell has a strong re-start, leading by nearly a second. Several drivers, including Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas, and Sergio Perez, have pitted for hard tires and may attempt to go the distance.
SAFETY CAR! Lap 1: After being bumped by Lance Stroll, Charles Leclerc’s race is over. In yet another stroke of bad luck, the Monegasque driver finds himself beached in the gravel trap.
LIGHTS OUT: We’re off to a good start in Melbourne, with George Russell taking the lead after the first corner!! Lewis Hamilton also passes Verstappen a few turns later, capping off Mercedes’ perfect start!
2 minutes to lights out: The formation lap for the 2023 Australian Grand Prix has begun.
Perez will start from the pits for Red Bull, but team principal Christian Horner is still confident he will score points.
“It’s a difficult track to pass on, and we have two races here today; let’s hope we can get a good result at the end,” Horner told Channel 10. “Our projection for Perez is P8.”
15 minutes until lights out: It’s time to sing the Australian National Anthem.
After a disappointing qualifying session, the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc will start from P5 and P7 today. Frédéric Vasseur, team principal, believes the Scuderia underperformed on Saturday but believes they can improve.
“We are a little disappointed because we had the potential to do well (in qualifying),” Vassuer told Channel 10. “I’m hoping we’ll be able to demonstrate (our ability) today.”
30 minutes to go: Perez and Bottas nearly collide as they make their way around the track. There was no damage done, but it could have made things worse for the two drivers starting from pit lane.
40 minutes until lights out: The cars are starting to emerge from their garages and make their way onto the track. It appears that there will be no late dramas.
Oscar Piastri, a Melbourne-born rookie, will be the focus of many eyes this afternoon. Surprisingly, the McLaren driver hasn’t raced in his native country since he was a young go-kart driver.
After a disappointing qualifying session, he will start the Grand Prix in 16th place.
F1 officials have announced that Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas will both start today’s race from the pit lane after deciding to modify their cars under parc fermé regulations.
Perez (new PU components) qualified last after failing to finish Q1, while Bottas (suspension change) was set to start from P19.
Bottas’ teammate Zhou Guanyu and Williams driver Logan Sargeant will now form the newly formed back row of the grid for today’s race.
1 hour 30 minutes until lights out: The drivers’ parade is wrapping up, with all 20 competitors being driven around the circuit in front of a boisterous Australian audience. The weather is mostly sunny, with a pleasant temperature of 19C/66F.
Hello, and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of the 2023 Australian Grand Prix! At Albert Park, excitement is building for the third race of this Formula One season.
Starting grid for the Australian Grand Prix in 2023
MORE: Verstappen wins the Australian Grand Prix pole, and Mercedes shines
When does the Australian F1 Grand Prix begin?
Sunday, April 2nd
6 a.m. is the start time. GMT / 1 a.m. ET / 3 p.m. time zone
The 2023 Australian Grand Prix is set to begin at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Time in the local area.
The complete schedule for the weekend’s F1 events in Melbourne is provided below.
What channel is Formula One broadcast on?
Where can I watch Formula One live?
2023 Formula One Season Schedule
The Formula One calendar in 2023 includes 23 races across four continents.
The action began on March 5 with the Bahrain Grand Prix and will conclude on November 26 in Abu Dhabi.
The most recent schedule (subject to change) is as follows:
How to Watch Formula One in the United States
FuboTV, Hulu, and Sling TV all offer live streaming.
F1 fans in the United States will be able to watch all 23 races live on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2. Live
broadcasts in Spanish are available on ESPN Deportes, though ESPNews and ESPNU will also show some practice and qualifying sessions live throughout the year.
In addition to the official F1 TV service, subscribers can watch the action live on Hulu + Live TV. Sling TV and FuboTV in the United States will also carry the action.
How to View Formula One in Canada
TSN (English) TV channel; RDS (French)
TSN Direct Live Stream
TSN will broadcast the races in English for Canadian viewers. If you’re looking for a French-language broadcast, RDS has you covered.
Races can be viewed on fuboTV and TSN Direct, TSN’s streaming service.
Where can I watch Formula One in the United Kingdom?
Sky Sports F1 is a television channel.
NOW TV / Sky Go app live stream
Sky Sports F1, the dedicated F1 channel, broadcasts all F1 action in the United Kingdom. If you want to watch F1 live in 2023, you can use the Sky Go app if you already have a Sky subscription, or you can buy a Sky Sports Pass on NOW TV.
