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Formula 1 / Australian GP Analysis

The critical calls preceding Verstappen's Melbourne march and F1's red flag saga

By:

Alex Kalinauckas

Apr 3, 2023, 7:37 AM

The Australian Grand Prix ended in chaotic scenes as two late red flags resulted in a bizarre finish under safety car. But there was no dispute surrounding its winner Max Verstappen, who asserted his dominance at the head of the Formula 1 field

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The 2023 Australian Grand Prix actually had to explain itself, which seemed about right. The stewards of the third Formula 1 race of the current campaign summoned its promoter – the Australian Grand Prix Corporation – to explain how fans had breached safety perimeter fences close to the debris barriers near Turn 1 when action was still ongoing on the final lap. One was actually on the circuit waving manically as soon-to-be winner Max Verstappen swept by celebrating his victory in bizarre, neutralised circumstances.

The Dutchman made it three Red Bull wins in three attempts so far in 2023, with lots of what happened in Melbourne very familiar to the Bahrain and Jeddah proceedings. But they were bookended by two very different chapters – one very good, one very bad.

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Alex Kalinauckas

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Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.

A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.