A major surprise took place in round 3 of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship, where, at the Melbourne circuit, Carlos Sainz from Ferrari won the race, while the Dutchman Max Verstappen retired as early as lap 4.
Ferrari achieved a 1-2 finish as Charles Leclerc finished 2nd, and British driver Lando Norris from McLaren completed the podium. The Spanish driver from Ferrari had a flawless race just two weeks after his appendicitis surgery, which made him unavailable for the Saudi Arabian race.
This victory marks the 224th for the Italian team in Formula 1, an absolute record.
World champion Max Verstappen dropped to the last position after smoke started coming out of his car, he headed to the pits where he retired, unable to rely on his car anymore.
Former champion Lewis Hamilton also retired on lap 17 after facing engine issues. His Mercedes teammate, British driver George Russell, had a heavy crash in the final lap after a violent impact with a barrier.
Ferrari secures a 1-2 finish after 4 years. The last achievement was in the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2020.
Verstappen leads the overall standings with 51 points, followed by Sainz with 47 and Perez with 46 points. Sainz has 40 points and is in 4th place. Red Bull also leads the constructors' championship with 97 points, 4 ahead of their rival Ferrari.