Sunday Debrief: Verstappen wins in a chaotic Australian Grand Prix

Verstappen takes his second win of the season in a thrilling, start-stop Australian Grand Prix, with 3 red flags and 8 retirements. The reigning world champion led Hamilton and Alonso to the chequered flag, with the race finishing under the safety car.

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A promising start for Mercedes, with George Russell taking the lead of the race on the first lap going into turn 1, shortly followed by his teammate who followed into P2. The first yellow flag shortly following on Lap 1, after Stroll made contact with Leclerc, leaving the Ferrari stuck in the gravel and unable to get out.

A second yellow flag was brought out on Lap 7 followed by the safety car, after Alex Albon went into the barriers at turn 7, putting an end to his Grand Prix. George Russell pitting under the safety car, led to a change of fate for the driver, as Lap 9 brought out the first red flag, with too much gravel on track. Russel came out of his pit stop in P7, allowing his teammate to inherit the lead of the Grand Prix, who then made a cheap pit stop under the red flag.

The race shortly resumed, Hamilton holding the lead momentarily, before Verstappen took the lead. Russell became the third retirement of the race, after power unit failures, leading to fire at the back of his Mercedes. Russell stopping at the end of the pit lane exit and bring out the Virtual Safety Car.

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Another retirement and yellow flag was brought out on Lap 53, after Magnussen lost the back right tyre of his Haas by making contact with the barriers. The yellow flag was shortly followed by a red flag on Lap 55, the cars returning to the pits, before another standing start.

On a chaotic final standing start of the race, Fernando Alonso was spun out by his fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz, which led to a series of unfortunate events. In attempt of avoiding the crash Pierre Gasly ended up in the barriers after a strong race, where he held his place in P5. Gasly was accompanied by his teammate Esteban Ocon, who crashed his Alpine into the back of his teammate. At the back of the grid, Logan Sargeant and Nyk De Vries made contact going into turn 1, putting an end to their race. Away from the chaos, at the front of the grid, Lance Stroll was looking to finish P3 before the Canadian drove his Aston Martin straight off track.

The cars were once again, brought back into the pits, with a. decision to be made for the final positions of the race. Under the FIA regulations, the cars finished in their positions at the last restart, before having to complete the race behind the safety car. Allowing Alonso to finish in P3, despite the incident with Sainz.

Carlos Sainz finished the race in 12th after receiving a 5 second penalty for his collision with Alonso. Sainz described that decision as "unacceptable", adding: "They need to wait until after the race and discuss with me. Clearly the penalty is not deserved. It is too severe."

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The top 3, consisting of three world champions, in Verstappen, Hamilton and Alonso. With everyone’s focus shifting to McLaren, who had both drivers finish in the points for the first time this season, Oscar Piastri being able to earn his first points in F1 at his first home race.