F1 outcomes: A late purple flag opens the door to a shocking end of the Australian Grand Prix

It seemed just like the Australian Grand Prix was winding all the way down to an virtually lazy end. With below 5 laps remaining, Max Verstappen was operating properly forward of Lewis Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso.

Then, the sport modified.

Kevin Magnussen of Haas left his automotive a bit huge on Lap 54, and his proper rear tyre struck the wall. The tyre bounced off the automotive, and particles flew everywhere in the monitor in Melbourne. First a yellow flag flew, after which a digital security automotive was introduced, after which, the sport utterly modified.

Purple flag.

It was the second purple flag of the Australian Grand Prix, the primary having come out early within the race when Alex Albon spun by way of the gravel and brought about a stoppage.

The purple flag despatched some shivers by way of the pit wall over at Purple Bull. Whereas Verstappen had been the strongest automotive all through many of the Grand Prix, and was operating forward of hte area on the time of the purple flag, if there was one weak spot to his race, it was how he did on begins. In the beginning of the Australian Grand Prix George Russell in P2 received off to a a lot better begin than Verstappen, and finally took the early lead.

Then after the purple flag earlier within the race, Verstappen once more received off to a gradual begin, this time behind Lewis Hamilton. A couple of laps later Verstappen and the highly effective RB19 have been capable of cost previous Hamilton’s Mercedes. However with only a few laps remaining, if Verstappen had one other gradual begin, would he have sufficient time to make up the distinction?

The opposite concern? Tyres. With the early purple flag all of the groups made the choice to change to the laborious compound. However with the purple flag, groups confronted the choice to both end below well-worn hards, or maybe swap to a gentle compound for the ultimate laps of the race.

One other new concern? The angle of the solar. With the quite a few delays already within the race, drivers have been now coping with the setting solar. For that reason, race officers had pushed up the beginning time of the Australian Grand Prix so drivers weren’t combating the glare of their eyes within the closing levels.

Nevertheless, the delays all through the race had pressured them to endure the angle of the solar but once more.

When the purple flag flew, this was the highest ten, so as: Verstappen, Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Carlos Sainz Jr., Pierre Gasly, Lance Stroll, Sergio Pérez, Lando Norris, Nico Hülkenberg, and Esteban Ocon. It was to be a standing begin to conclude the Grand Prix, and all of the groups made the choice to change to gentle compounds for the ultimate two laps of the Grand Prix.

A two-lap shootout to resolve the winner of the Grand Prix. Would Verstappen seize his second win of the season? Would Hamilton lastly seize a victory once more? Would Alonso safe that elusive “33 quickly?”

Off the beginning Verstappen took the lead, after which there was absolute, whole chaos behind him. Described as “carnage” by the commentators within the sales space, there was a collision between Alonso and Sainz that despatched Alonso spinning by way of the gravel. Behind them, the remainder of the sphere stacked up, with finally each Alpines coming into contact with one another, Gasly and Ocon out of the race.

Right here’s a take a look at the restart:

The chaos swept up numerous drivers:

That introduced out one more purple flag, and much more questions. How would the sphere be labeled? Would there be one more restart?

Race management then posted a restart order: Verstappen, Hamilton, Alonso, Sainz, Stroll, Perez, Norris, Hulkenberg, Oscar Piastri, and Zhou Guanyu.

Nevertheless, the choices weren’t finished. Race stewards then instituted a five-second penalty on Sainz for his contact with Alonso, which dropped him out of the factors, and opening the door for Yuki Tsunoda, who had completed in eleventh place in every of the primary two races of the season, to lastly get into the factors:

That made it a brutal day for Ferrari, on condition that Charles Leclerc was knocked out of the race on the opening lap.

The rolling begin passed off, Verstappen took the checkered flag, and the Australian Grand Prix lastly drew to a detailed. It was his first victory in Melbourne.

Right here is the ultimate classification for the high ten:

And the total area:

Maybe the largest losers in all of this? Alpine. Regardless of each Ocon and Gasly being within the high ten on the late restart, each drivers have been knocked out of the race. A quite bitter tablet for the staff.

Now, the groups have a protracted break forward of them, earlier than the Azerbaijan Grand Prix set for the ultimate weekend of April.

That’s a very long time for a few of these drivers, and groups, to surprise what may need been.