Max Verstappen, visibly upset, had to leave the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix early on Sunday due to a problem with his car’s engine. This forced him to retire from the race, marking his first retirement since the Australian Grand Prix in 2022.
Verstappen, who had been on a winning streak, expressed frustration about his right rear brake malfunctioning, causing the engine to catch fire. This unexpected setback ended his race prematurely.
Shortly after retiring, Verstappen was seen discussing the issue with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner. The incident occurred just as Verstappen had won the first two races of the season and was on a nine-race winning streak. Lewis Hamilton, driving for Mercedes, also faced an early retirement due to an engine failure.
During the race, Verstappen started from pole position but was overtaken by Carlos Sainz of Ferrari on the second lap. Despite trailing closely behind Sainz, Verstappen encountered problems with his car, leading to smoke and eventually a fire, forcing him to abandon the race.
This came after Verstappen had voiced concerns about losing control of his car on the team radio.
Last season, Verstappen achieved a remarkable 19 race victories, setting a new record in Formula 1 history, en route to securing his third consecutive championship title.
