BREAKING NEWS: Carlos Sainz of Ferrari claimed victory in a thrilling Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz staged an impressive comeback from surgery to clinch a dramatic victory at the Australian Grand Prix, as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen’s quest to match his own Formula One record ended in disappointment.

Just two weeks after undergoing surgery for appendicitis, Sainz secured his third F1 career win and his first at Albert Park. He crossed the finish line ahead of his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, with McLaren’s Lando Norris taking the third spot on the podium.

McLaren’s emerging talent Oscar Piastri finished fourth, extending the trend of Australian drivers failing to make it onto the podium in Melbourne.

The race concluded under a virtual safety car after Mercedes’ George Russell endured a significant crash on the final lap.

Verstappen, aiming to secure his tenth consecutive race win for the second time in less than a year, saw his hopes dashed when he suffered a car fire early in the race. Despite starting on pole, Verstappen was overtaken by Sainz on the second lap and was subsequently forced to retire due to mechanical issues.

Reflecting on his retirement, Verstappen explained that his right rear brake had malfunctioned, causing temperatures in the car to rise until it caught fire.

Sainz’s victory marked the end of Verstappen’s streak of nine consecutive race wins, dating back to the Japanese Grand Prix. It also prevented Verstappen from equaling his own record of ten straight wins achieved between Miami and Monza last year.

Additionally, Verstappen’s retirement coincided with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton’s struggles, as Hamilton was forced to the back of the field due to mechanical issues.

Australian driver Daniel Ricciardo, returning to the Melbourne race after missing it the previous year, finished in 12th place with his new team, RB.