Australian GP Highlights: Max Verstappen EXTENDS Championship Lead, Claims MAIDEN victory in Australia as Lewis Hamilton finish second

Australian GP Highlights: Max Verstappen held off Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to steer himself and Red Bull to a incredible and chaotic win at the Australian Grand Prix. With this win, Verstappen has tightened his grip on the world championship. He began from pole and was passed by Mercedes pair of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton at the start. But, he kept his cool to win a race that was red flagged three times and had multiple crashes. Hamilton came second ahead of Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who has made three out three in terms of podium finishes. Follow Formula 1 LIVE Updates with InsideSport.IN.

F1 Australian GP 2023 HIGHLIGHTS: Multiple Cars crash, 3 Red Flags and DOMINATING victory for Max Verstappen for 1st Time in Melbourne – WATCH Formula 1 HIGHLIGHTS

“We had a very poor start, lap one I was careful as I had a lot to lose. The pace of the car was quick. With these red flags, I don’t know, I don’t really understand. It was a bit of a mess but we had good pace and we won, so that’s important.” said Dutchman Verstappen.

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS IN AUSTRALIA!!! 🇦🇺🏆

The Dutchman reigns supreme to take a maiden win Down Under after a chaotic race!!!! 🤯#AusGP @Max33Verstappen @redbullracing pic.twitter.com/TWDBqanqQo

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 2, 2023

It was a disastrous day for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, last year’s winner, who spun out on the first lap, while Russell’s car caught fire on lap 19 and his race too was over.

Victory was Verstappen’s maiden win in Melbourne and Red Bull’s first in Australia since Sebastian Vettel’s 2011 triumph.

How it panned out for others

The Red Bull triumph came despite unbelievable late drama that saw a red flag come out when Verstappen had a comfortable lead from Hamilton and Alonso with two laps left, meaning they had a bunched restart for an all-out attack to the finish.

But it descended into chaos when Alonso was clipped by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as they jostled for position and sent into a spin, which caused a flow on effect with multiple other cars coming to grief.

“I didn’t expect to be second so I’m super grateful for it,” said seven-time world champion Hamilton.

“I’m driving as best I can and working as hard as I can but still, considering we’ve been down on performance and in straight pace, for us to be up there fighting with Aston is amazing.”

“We had a rollercoaster of emotions today, many things going on at the beginning, and the last half an hour,” said Spanish veteran Alonso.

“Mercedes were very fast and Lewis did an incredible job — I could not match the pace, but we’ll take P3.”

Mercedes resumed with Hamilton pressing Russell before the safety car was deployed again on lap seven when Williams’ Alexander Albon lost control, leaving gravel on the track, with a red flag eventually needed.

They got underway again from a standing start with Hamilton initially keeping Verstappen at bay.

But it only a matter of time before the Dutchman made his move and he surged into the lead on lap 12.

Once more a safety car was needed when Russell’s car broke down, but Verstappen was in charge now and pulling clear.

By the halfway mark, he was seven seconds ahead with the battle seemingly all about who came second between Hamilton and Alonso.

But there was more drama when Kevin Magnussen lost the rear tyre of his Haas and the red flag came out again at the death.

Formula 1