Max Verstappen wins Australian GP as chaotic F1 race finishes under safety car

Max Verstappen won the Australian Grand Prix with an absolutely commanding run as he enjoyed a huge pace advantage in Melbourne. The Red Bull driver came back after dropping places at the start but was then untroubled at the front of the field, albeit in a race that was dragged out to over two and half hours with three red-flag stoppages.

Verstappen comfortably beat the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton into second and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso into third, with his teammate Lance Stroll in fourth at Albert Park. The Australian Oscar Piastri scored his first F1 points in his debut home grand prix, finishing in eighth place.

The race had opened with some drama as Verstappen lost the lead to Mercedes’ George Russell, who was ultimately forced to retire with an engine issue, but it turned out to be something of a false dawn as the world champion’s pace proved too much for the rest of the field.

Verstappen breezed back to the front and opened up a lead with a race pace that was formidable even by the standards Red Bull have already set this season. Until a late red-flag stoppage closed the field up, he as over 11secs up the road from Hamilton, a gap that could easily have been even larger.

A late red flag proved tense but Verstappen rode it out with calm control as behind him six cars went out in a chaotic restart – forcing another red flag. It was an unedifying end as confusion reigned as to how the race would finish, with the FIA taking some time to reach a decision before closing on a lap behind the safety car, dragging out the inevitable conclusion with frustrating longevity.

Verstappen now leads the world championship from teammate Sergio Pérez, who finished fifth after coming back from starting at the back of the