AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX WINNERS AND LOSERS: Max Verstappen has a day to forget while Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes suffer DOUBLE DNF finishes… but Carlos Sainz proves he’s a class apart to win it for Ferrari

This was an Australian Grand Prix full of drama and shocking retirements, leaving the field wide open for an enthralling contest.

When reigning three-time world champion Max Verstappen was forced to retire his car with his right rear tire on fire, the gloves came off for the rest of the field, with Ferrari in particular sniffing out a rare race victory.

The Italian team looked fast all weekend and took advantage, with Carlos Sainz claiming victory, while teammate Charles Leclerc finished second.

It was a disastrous weekend for Mercedes, with both drivers failing to finish. The situation for the Silver Arrows is still being investigated.

Mail Sport’s NATHAN SALT gives his winners and losers for the Australian Grand Prix.

WINNERS

Carlos Sainz – 9

To come back from an appendectomy and win a Formula 1 Grand Prix within two weeks is truly remarkable.

Some will take some of the shine off his victory as Verstappen was a non-factor after his retirement, but that would be completely unfair.

An impressive – and deserved – victory that should send a signal to the team leaders across the paddock. Register this man for 2025.

Lando Norris – 8

He may not have had enough to overtake the Ferrari pair in front of him, but this was a beautiful drive from Lando Norris.

When McLaren gave team orders to Oscar Piastri to let his teammate pass, the partisan home crowd was not at all happy to see the popular Australian playing second fiddle.

But McLaren knew what they were doing and the faster driver ultimately secured them a podium finish. Bravo.

Yuki Tsunoda – 7

This was a statement performance in Australia from Tsunoda and one that should not be overlooked.

The Japanese driver has had a good start to 2024, but here were his first points of the season with an eighth place.

“Yes, I am very happy, the first points for our new team were not easy, but at the same time we definitely deserved them,” he said.

“We had a pace in the last two races, but we had very frustrating races, so I’m very happy that we were able to score points here.”

Nico Hülkenburg + Kevin Magnussen – 7

We combine the Haas drivers as their ninth and tenth places make it the first time since 2022 that the team has achieved a double points finish.

That may seem like a low bar for those who support a driver at the front, but there will be plenty of celebration in that Haas garage tonight – and rightly so.

LOSERS

Max Verstappen – 1

While there was very little he could have done to stop it, this went as badly as it could have for the world championship leader.

He could have had a nightmare last night and this would have been even worse.

His car caught fire within three laps and from then on he could do nothing.

“S**t happens,” he said. That is indeed the case, Max.

Lewis Hamilton 2

Things didn’t get much better for Verstappen’s old rival Lewis Hamilton when his engine failed and he was sent back to the garage.

You just can’t help but feel that this is going to be another miserable season for Hamilton, in what is his final season at Mercedes.

I bet he enjoyed watching his soon-to-be new team Ferrari achieve the one-two finish…

George Russell-4

Hamilton’s teammate was on course for seventh heading into the final lap and while that would have been nothing to write home about, things got worse when he crashed in pursuit of Fernando Alonso.

Mercedes is furious and claims that Alonso Russell tested the brakes.

The matter is now in the hands of the stewards.

Sergio Perez-5

Considering he is in the best car on the grid and Verstappen was out of the race, so much more was expected of Perez than his fifth place.

It just shows that the car alone can’t do it.