Maximum Mayhem! Max Verstappen Retires Early from Australian Grand Prix

The verse started the same for the third race of the 2024 Formula 1 season but switched up before the chorus in this week's Formula 1 Grand Prix.

After starting on his fourth consecutive pole, Max Verstappen took the lead into the first corner. Two laps later, Carlos Sainz, fresh from appendix removal, passed the three-time world champion.

It was clear that Verstappen was in trouble, as the Ferrari took over the Red Bull easily.

"I just lost the car. Really weird," Verstappen said over the radio.

On the next lap, Verstappen's Red Bull started to smoke, leading him to pull into pit lane right before his right rear tire started showing flames. This is the first race where Red Bull is utilizing their new power unit, and there is speculation that this caused the mechanical problem.

Verstappen retired from the Australian GP on lap three, ending a 43-race finishing streak.

Oracle Red Bull Racing shared on X that the cause of retirement was officially a right-rear brake issue.

When Sky Sports met up with Verstappen, he described it "like driving with the hand brake on."

The right rear brake felt stuck since the start of the race leading to Verstappen's DNF.

The Dutch driver will be created in last place but with a 19th-place finish since Williams could only enter one of their two drivers after Alex Albon crashed in Practice 1 and Logan Sargeant was relieved of his seat.

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