Three-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen was forced out of the 2024 Australian Grand Prix after his brakes caught fire in the opening laps.
The Red Bull superstar looked on track for another flag-to-flag victory after starting on pole position and racing away from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as expected.
But bidding for what would’ve been a record-equalling 10th consecutive race win, Verstappen then started to struggle on the second lap of the race, being passed by Sainz on the back straight.
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“I just lost the car, really weird,” Verstappen said on radio.
“F*** the car is loose.”
But the issues with the back of the Red Bull were due to brakes overheating and he was soon smoking his way around the Albert Park street circuit.
'Basically driving with a handbrake on!' | 01:27
Verstappen limped back to the pits where his brakes could be seen on fire and he was retired from the race.
Huge cheers were audible around the Melbourne circuit, the location of Verstappen’s most recent mechanical retirement before this one, back in 2022.
Just 11 laps later Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was forced to retire due to engine issues.
Verstappen later explained there was an immediate issue on his car.
“We could see in the data as soon as the lights went off the right rear brake just stuck,” he said.
“It was basically driving with the handbrake on that’s why the car was really weird to drive in some corners and really snappy.”
He said it was “too early” to know what caused the malfunction.
