When on the fourth lap the cameras focused on the smoke coming from the rear of the Red Bull number 1 there was the certainty that the Australian Grand Prix would be a different race. While Max Verstappen slowed down, putting an end to a two-year race, Carlos Sainz was already leading a race that took on a new face, without the blue Red Bull and with the red-orange of Ferrari and McLaren dictating the pace. It was a Grand Prix that deservedly went to the Scuderia, a double that started from afar with work that allowed Sainz and Leclerc to win the challenge against Sunday's main opponent: graining.
Pirelli's choice to bring a softer step of compounds to Melbourne than in 2023 (C3, C4 and C5) has imposed a technical challenge on the teams that has become clear since Friday. The first free practices had immediately confirmed a good pace of the two SF-24s, Leclerc's long runs were the best ahead of the McLaren and with a Red Bull that appeared surprisingly in difficulty. The 58 laps completed today in Melbourne confirmed everything, Sainz was able to impose a better pace on the race than the rest of the group, capitalizing on the possibility of riding in clean air as well as an excellent setup both with the medium tires mounted in first stint and with the next two sets of hard.
Team Ferrari celebrates the victory
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
“It wasn't easy in the cockpit – commented a very happy Sainz after the race – but fortunately I was able to drive alone and keep my pace”. Carlos laid the foundations for his third Formula 1 victory in the first stint, managing to complete 16 laps on medium tires at a very fast pace. In this phase he built a seven-second gap on Lando Norris, a margin that allowed him to protect himself from potential undercuts and to be able to best introduce the next set of hard tires, without having to jerk on the dreaded first lap.
In the first stint of the race, however, Leclerc's ambitions for victory faded. It was crucial for Charles to get rid of Norris, but in the first nine laps he was unable to overtake the McLaren. At that point the Ferrari garage played the undercut card, an (obligatory) strategy that was successful but which in fact took away Leclerc's chance of catching Sainz.
Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
By making the pit stop 7 laps earlier than his teammate, Charles had to give up the chance to push in the next two stints. Leclerc still managed to overtake Norris and make him the runner-up, completing an unexpected and deserved double that had been missing since Bahrain 2022.
“My 2024 started with the news of the non-renewal – confessed Sainz after the race – then a good podium arrived in Bahrain and I said to myself 'okay, the season is starting well'. But here in Jeddah I find myself in hospital, then long days in bed with the question mark regarding Melbourne. Will I be able to get back into shape? And now here I am, a winner. Life sometimes seems like a roller coaster ride, but that's why I enjoy the moment.”
The podium of the Australian GP with Leclerc, the engineer Togninalli, Sainz and Norris
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
One question remains pending, which is intriguing even though it doesn't change anything for the purposes of the final ranking: would Ferrari have made it against Verstappen? “I knew that in this race I could have the pace to challenge Max – admitted Carlos – and given the power of the DRS on this track I thought that if I could get back into the DRS range after the first lap, I could put Max under pressure”.
Sainz's credit is also that of having built on a good weekend since Friday, putting the car on the front row. “From the first lap it seemed like a winning car, even if the Red Bull took pole I knew it would be within our reach. There will be tracks where we will be strong, our race pace has improved, and together with a good development program I hope we can challenge Red Bull more often.”
“I think we have made a good leap in quality compared to a year ago – clarified Vasseur – we were not disappointed with the results in Bahrain and Jeddah and today we are not overly excited by this double”. Ferrari beat Melbourne by managing graining better than all its rivals, finding the right mix of performance and 'courtesy' on the tyres. It is a fixed point, then other tracks and other conditions will arrive which will entail different challenges before which the role of great favorite will be firmly in the hands of Red Bull and Max Verstappen. However, the Ferrari seen in Melbourne has everything to be the thorn in the side.
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