The victory for Sainz was a remarkable comeback for the driver who is still recovering from having surgery for appendicitis and is out of contract for next season. It is the third win of Sainz’s career and his first in Australia. Verstappen had held his lead into turn one from Sainz but on lap two with DRS enabled Sainz burst past the Dutchman for the lead at turn nine to the roars of an appreciative crowd. Verstappen said he had lost the back of the car and slid at turn seven and eight, opening the door for Sainz, and complained the car was “loose”. “I have smoke, fire, fire, brake,” Verstappen told the team as he crawled to the pit on lap three. With the world champion out the race was wide open, Sainz leading from Norris and Leclerc, with Pérez in sixth. On newer rubber, he had opened a nine second lead on Leclerc by the time Ferrari pitted the Monegasque driver again on lap 34.

Follow MotorMouth on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•