F1 results: A late red flag opens the door to a stunning finish of the Australian Grand Prix

It appeared just like the Australian Grand Prix was winding all the way down to an nearly lazy end. With below 5 laps remaining, Max Verstappen was operating nicely forward of Lewis Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso.

Then, the sport modified.

Kevin Magnussen of Haas left his automotive a bit vast on Lap 54, and his proper rear tyre struck the wall. The tyre bounced off the automotive, and particles flew everywhere in the observe in Melbourne. First a yellow flag flew, after which a digital security automotive was introduced, after which, the sport utterly modified.

Crimson flag.

It was the second crimson flag of the Australian Grand Prix, the primary having come out early within the race when Alex Albon spun by the gravel and precipitated a stoppage.

The crimson flag despatched some shivers by the pit wall over at Crimson Bull. Whereas Verstappen had been the strongest automotive all through a lot of the Grand Prix, and was operating forward of hte area on the time of the crimson flag, if there was one weak point to his race, it was how he did on begins. In the beginning of the Australian Grand Prix George Russell in P2 received off to a significantly better begin than Verstappen, and in the end took the early lead.

Then after the crimson flag earlier within the race, Verstappen once more received off to a gradual begin, this time behind Lewis Hamilton. Just a few laps later Verstappen and the highly effective RB19 have been in a position to cost previous Hamilton’s Mercedes. However with only a few laps remaining, if Verstappen had one other gradual begin, would he have sufficient time to make up the distinction?

The opposite difficulty? Tyres. With the early crimson flag all of the groups made the choice to change to the onerous compound. However with the crimson flag, groups confronted the choice to both end below well-worn hards, or maybe change to a delicate compound for the ultimate laps of the race.

One other new concern? The angle of the solar. With the quite a few delays already within the race, drivers have been now coping with the setting solar. For that reason, race officers had pushed up the beginning time of the Australian Grand Prix so drivers weren’t combating the glare of their eyes within the closing phases.

Nonetheless, the delays all through the race had compelled them to endure the angle of the solar but once more.

When the crimson flag flew, this was the highest ten, so as: Verstappen, Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Jr., Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, Sergio Pérez, Lando Norris, Nico Hülkenberg, and Esteban Ocon. It was to be a standing begin to conclude the Grand Prix, and all of the groups made the choice to change to delicate compounds for the ultimate two laps of the Grand Prix.

A two-lap shootout to determine the winner of the Grand Prix. Would Verstappen seize his second win of the season? Would Hamilton lastly seize a victory once more? Would Alonso safe that elusive “33 quickly?”

Off the beginning Verstappen took the lead, after which there was absolute, complete chaos behind him. Described as “carnage” by the commentators within the sales space, there was a collision between Alonso and Sainz that despatched Alonso spinning by the gravel. Behind them, the remainder of the sector stacked up, with finally each Alpines coming into contact with one another, Gasly and Ocon out of the race.

Right here’s a take a look at the restart:

The chaos swept up various drivers:

That introduced out yet one more crimson flag, and much more questions. How would the sector be categorised? Would there be yet one more restart?

Race management then posted a restart order: Verstappen, Hamilton, Alonso, Sainz, Stroll, Perez, Norris, Hulkenberg, Oscar Piastri, and Zhou Guanyu.

Nonetheless, the choices weren’t finished. Race stewards then instituted a five-second penalty on Sainz for his contact with Alonso, which dropped him out of the factors, and opening the door for Yuki Tsunoda, who had completed in eleventh place in every of the primary two races of the season, to lastly get into the factors:

That made it a brutal day for Ferrari, on condition that Charles Leclerc was knocked out of the race on the opening lap.

The rolling begin passed off, Verstappen took the checkered flag, and the Australian Grand Prix lastly drew to an in depth. It was his first victory in Melbourne.

Right here is the ultimate classification for the highest ten:

And the total area:

Maybe the largest losers in all of this? Alpine. Regardless of each Ocon and Gasly being within the high ten on the late restart, each drivers have been knocked out of the race. A fairly bitter capsule for the workforce.

Now, the groups have an extended break forward of them, earlier than the Azerbaijan Grand Prix set for the ultimate weekend of April.

That’s a very long time for a few of these drivers, and groups, to surprise what may need been.