What Happened To Max Verstappen Car? The Brake Fire That Ended His Australian GP
Max started the Australian GP in pole position. He took an early lead over Carlos Sainz. In the first few laps, Max was driving really well. He kept a good gap to Sainz. It looked like Max would win again. What happened to Max Verstappen car?
But then, something went wrong. On lap 2, Max said on the team radio “I lost the car, really weird!” This meant trouble was coming.
Max’s smooth start was about to be ruined by a big problem. His race in Melbourne was not going to go as planned. On lap 2, smoke was coming from Max’s rear brakes. It was clear he had a mechanical problem.
Max’s lead over Sainz quickly went away. His car became hard to control. Max couldn’t drive smoothly like before. He was struggling to keep his Red Bull on track.
Sainz saw his chance and overtook Max on the straight. Just like that, Max’s race lead was gone. Sainz passed him as Max battled his car’s issues.
From looking dominant, Max was now trailing smoke and falling back. His once great race had turned into a fight, not just against rivals, but against his own car that had won him so many races.
On lap 3, the smoke from Max’s brakes turned into fire. Flames were coming from his car. It was clear Max had to retire from the race. He drove back to the pits with his damaged Red Bull.
In the garage, Max was very frustrated. He is usually calm, but this time he couldn’t hide his disappointment. Max angrily said “So stupid!” to his mechanics. It was rare to see him so emotional.
Max’s early race lead and chance of winning was gone. His retirement was a huge contrast to how dominant he looked at the start.
Max’s retirement meant his streak of 9 consecutive race wins came to an end. He narrowly missed equaling his own record of 10 straight wins.
Max and Red Bull were so close to making more F1 history with another record. But the mechanical failure cruelly denied them this achievement. They were left wondering what could have been.
When Max retired, Carlos Sainz took his chance to lead the race. Sainz had been following Max closely before. With Max out, the way was clear for Sainz to win. Despite his lack of experience leading, Sainz drove well. He navigated Albert Park perfectly and kept his pace consistent to stay ahead. At the finish, Sainz won his first race of the season, reviving Ferrari’s title hopes. His teammate Leclerc also capitalized on Max’s misfortune by finishing second, giving Ferrari a 1-2 finish.
After retiring, Max gave a frank assessment. He said it felt like “driving with a handbrake on.” Max explained “As soon as the lights went out, the right-rear brake was stuck on. The car felt weird to drive, very snappy…If a brake is stuck on, that doesn’t help. You accelerate, and you see the right rear brake stuck on.”
Max’s honest words gave insight into the technical problem that ruined his race. His transparency, even when disappointed, is one reason fans respect him.
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