Australia Grand Prix 2024: Verstappen retires after right rear brake issue

Three-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen was forced to retire early from the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on Sunday.

The last time Verstappen retired from a race happened at the same venue in 2022.

Verstappen, who started the race from pole position, was overtaken by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz on the second lap. Two laps later, he had a right rear brake issue which ruled him out of the rest of the race. He complained he had “lost the car” before smoke began billowing from it.

He gradually lost pace and returned to pit where crew rushed to extinguish a fire from the right rear side.

The retirement ends Verstappen’s nine-race winning streak stretching back to last year’s Japanese Grand Prix.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was another early retirement with an engine failure on lap 17.

(Inputs from Reuters)