In a disappointing turn of events at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen experienced a challenging race from the very start. The Dutch driver reported a stuck brake at the beginning of the race, setting the stage for a difficult day on the track.
Verstappen lost the lead to Carlos Sainz on lap 2 due to his brake issues, and was forced to retire on lap 4, adding to the frustration for the Red Bull team. Despite his early exit, teammate Sergio Perez managed to finish in fifth place after struggling to make his way up the field.
Perez, however, believes that even without Verstappen’s brake issues, Ferrari would have still been a strong contender for victory. The Mexican driver expressed his concerns about tracks that place more stress on front tires, highlighting a potential weakness for Red Bull.
Adding to Perez’s challenges, he incurred a three-place grid penalty for impeding during qualifying, further hampering his chances at a successful race. The driver also faced difficulties at the start of the race, as he was stuck behind George Russell’s Mercedes and unable to make significant progress.
Ultimately, Perez was unable to catch up to fourth-placed Oscar Piastri, describing the weekend as a “very bad” one for Red Bull overall. The team will need to regroup and address the issues faced in Melbourne as they look ahead to future races in the Formula 1 season.
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