In Melbourne, thousands of enthusiastic Ferrari supporters, dressed in red, flocked to Lygon St to celebrate Carlos Sainz’s unexpected victory in the Australian Grand Prix. The festivities continued into the early hours of Monday at the Italian restaurant strip, with hopes that the party spirit would carry on to Suzuka in two weeks, injecting new life into the championship.
Sainz and his teammate Charles Leclerc’s 1-2 finish in Australia narrowed Red Bull’s lead to four points in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championship races, marking a significant shift in momentum following Max Verstappen’s dominant performances in the Middle East races.
Ferrari’s triumph in Australia was aided by Verstappen’s brake failure at Albert Park, ending Red Bull’s streak of race-day finishes over the past two years. However, the Italian team was pleased with the performance of their SF-24 car, especially after being outperformed by Red Bull in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Ferrari’s team principal, Frederic Vasseur, remarked, “This weekend is good evidence that when we are putting everything together, we can put Red Bull under pressure. It’s when they are under pressure that they will also make mistakes. We have to continue in this direction.”
Red Bull’s team boss Christian Horner admitted that his team struggled to adjust to the conditions in Melbourne, while Ferrari excelled. He mentioned that Ferrari seemed in control due to factors like the nature of the surface and the tire graining, which affected Red Bull’s performance.
Sergio Perez, who finished fifth in Australia after car damage, acknowledged that Ferrari had the pace to challenge Verstappen if the Dutch driver had completed the race. However, Red Bull’s advisor Helmut Marko doubted this claim, stating that Verstappen could have kept up with Sainz’s pace without significant issues.
Ferrari’s true standing in the championship remains uncertain until their next battle with Verstappen at the Japanese Grand Prix. Verstappen, who dominated last season with 19 wins out of 22 races, will be eager to bounce back after the setback in Australia.
Mercedes, on the other hand, faced disappointment in Melbourne, confirming their position as contenders rather than frontrunners. With no points scored and their first double DNF since 2018, the Silver Arrows have slipped to fourth in the championship, trailing Red Bull by 71 points.
The challenges continue for Mercedes as they work to comprehend the inconsistent performance of their revamped W15 car. Team boss Toto Wolff expressed frustration, saying, “We don’t understand some of the behaviors of the car.”
As the teams prepare for the upcoming races, the competition intensifies, promising more twists and turns in the exciting Formula One season.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
