What happened at the Australian Grand Prix 2024? In short, a lot!
The 2024 Australian Grand Prix saw Carlos Sainz of Ferrari clinch victory, marking a significant achievement just two weeks after undergoing appendicitis surgery. Sainz’s win was achieved under dramatic circumstances, including a final-lap crash by Mercedes driver George Russell, which brought out a virtual safety car. Lando Norris secured a third-place finish for McLaren, preventing teammate Oscar Piastri from earning a podium finish in his home country.
Thus, the podium saw Sainz in first place, followed by Charles Leclerc and Lando Norris. This race reshaped the F1 World Championship standings and showcased the competitive dynamics between teams and drivers early in the season. Race highlights of Ferrari, McLaren, and Aston Martin are below.
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2024 Australian Grand Prix Results
- Ferrari – C. Sainz Jr.
- Ferrari – C. Leclerc
- McLaren – L. Norris
- McLaren – O. Piastri
- Red Bull – S. Pérez
- Aston Martin – F. Alonso
- Aston Martin – L. Stroll
- RB Formula One Team – Y. Tsunoda
- Haas – N. Hülkenberg
- Haas – K. Magnussen
- Wiliams – A. Albon
- RB Formula One Team – D. Ricciardo
- Alpine – P. Gasly
- Kick Sauber – V. Bottas
- Kick Sauber – G.Y. Zhou
- Alpine – E. Con
- Mercedes – G. Russell
- Mercedes – L. Hamilton
- Red Bull – M. Verstappen
Related: 2024 F1 Season
2024 Australian Grand Prix team highlights
Ferrari F1
At the Australian Grand Prix in Albert Park, Ferrari showcased strategic excellence in a race that played out under mixed conditions, with the air temperature at a comfortable 20 degrees Celsius, while the track sizzled at 40 degrees. Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc started on Medium tires, securing second and fourth positions right from the off.
The race’s dynamic shifted on lap 2 when Carlos Sainz took the lead after Max Verstappen retired due to a technical issue. Charles Leclerc advanced to third, keeping Ferrari in a strong position. The strategic battle intensified with pit stops; Charles switched to Hard tires on lap 9 in a rapid 2.2-second stop.
As Lando Norris and Sergio Perez pitted, and with Lewis Hamilton’s retirement due to a power unit issue on lap 17 triggering a Virtual Safety Car, the strategic landscape of the race shifted. Both Ferrari drivers executed timely pit stops, with Carlos pitting for Hards on lap 16 and Charles making a strategic second stop on lap 35, rejoining the race in fourth place with new Hards, ahead of Perez and Alonso.
The climax of the race was marked by a dramatic last-lap crash involving George Russell, causing the race to end under a Virtual Safety Car. This incident sealed Ferrari’s 86th one-two finish, with Carlos Sainz celebrating his third Formula 1 victory. The race was a testament to Ferrari’s strategic planning and execution, culminating in a memorable finish under challenging conditions.
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McLaren F1
McLaren showcased a strong performance at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri maintaining their P3 and P5 positions as the race started. The early retirement of Max Verstappen from second place due to mechanical issues promoted Lando to second and Oscar to third, setting a positive trajectory for the team. Oscar’s strategy to switch to Hard tires on Lap 9, followed by Lando’s similar tire change on lap 14, put him in fourth behind Oscar.
As the race progressed, tire management became crucial. Oscar started to struggle with tire wear, which led to a strategic swap of positions with Lando, demonstrating the team’s dynamic strategy and teamwork. Oscar’s second pit stop on Lap 39 for another set of Hards saw him rejoining behind Alonso in fifth, while Lando’s stop a lap later positioned him to challenge for a podium finish.
Lando’s persistence paid off as he clinched third place at the race’s conclusion, marking McLaren’s first podium of the season and their best finish in Australia in a decade. Meanwhile, Oscar’s consistent performance allowed him to secure fourth place, his best finish in Australia thus far.
More about the: 2024 Formula 1 Teams
Aston Martin F1
Aston Martin achieved an impressive second double points finish of the season, showcasing their strategic prowess and adaptability. Lance Stroll secured a commendable seventh place, leveraging a strategy that saw him start on the Medium tires before switching to two sets of Hards. Fernando Alonso, employing a varied approach, started on the Hard tires, then moved to the Mediums, and finally back to Hards, ultimately securing P6.
A critical moment for Alonso came during a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period, initiated by Lewis Hamilton’s retirement. This allowed Alonso to pit and gain significant time and track position in a race where every second counts.
However, the race wasn’t without its controversies. Alonso, initially crossing the line in sixth, was involved in an incident with George Russell, leading to a post-race drive-through penalty for the Spaniard. This penalty, converted to an added 20 seconds to his race time, ultimately demoted him to eighth place in the final standings. Despite the setback, the result underscored Aston Martin’s strategic acumen and their drivers’ ability to capitalize on race dynamics, marking another successful weekend with both drivers finishing in the points.
What’s next? 2024 Formula 1 Schedule
| Date | Grand Prix | Venue |
| April 5-7 | Japan | Suzuka |
| April 19-21 | China | Shanghai |
| May 3-5 | Miami | Miami |
| May 17-19 | Emilia Romagna | Imola |
| May 24-26 | Monaco | Monaco |
| June 7-9 | Canada | Montreal |
| June 21-23 | Spain | Barcelona |
| June 28-30 | Austria | Spielberg |
| July 5-7 | United Kingdom | Silverstone |
| July 19-21 | Hungary | Budapest |
| July 26-28 | Belgium | Spa |
| August 23-25 | Netherlands | Zandvoort |
| August 30 – September 1 | Italy | Monza |
| September 13-15 | Azerbaijan | Baku |
| September 20-22 | Singapore | Singapure |
| October 18-20 | USA | Austin |
| October 25-27 | Mexico | México City |
| November 1-3 | Brazil | Sao Paulo |
| November 21-23 | Las Vegas | Las Vegas |
| November 29 – December 1 | Qatar | Lusail |
| December 6-8 | Abu Dhabi | Yas Marina |
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