So Ferrari are third in the pecking order…
Sebastian Vettel: Asks where Ferrari pace was
The mighty Mercedes are off the mark this season with one of no doubt many 1-2 finishes in 2019. Where on earth were Ferrari?
Here is how race day unfolded at Albert Park…
It wouldn’t be the season opener without a customary class photo pic. We like this grid line-up a lot.
Tributes were also paid to the late, great Charlie Whiting who passed away on Thursday. A big, big loss to the Formula 1 world.
As the clock ticked down to lights out, Charles Leclerc was keeping it cool ahead of his first race in Ferrari colours.
Ready for your first race in red, @Charles_Leclerc? 👍#AusGP 🇦🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/0G4BXHiz9y
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 17, 2019
Valtteri Bottas got off to a flying start in Australia, getting the jump on his team-mate Lewis Hamilton on the dash down to Turn 1.
New year, but same old misfortune for Daniel Ricciardo, though, as he lost his front wing mere seconds into the race.
LAP 1/58
Bottas sprints straight past Hamilton into the lead! ⬆️
But it's a nightmare start for Ricciardo, who loses his front wing 💔#AusGP 🇦🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/gE73nLtpqj
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 17, 2019
Robert Kubica also lost his wing after a brush with Pierre Gasly.
An unscheduled stop for #RK88. He pits at the end of the first lap for a change of front-wing and takes on a new set of tyres at the same time #AusGP 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/lWmlr8qdN4
— ROKiT WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) March 17, 2019
McLaren’s Carlos Sainz was the first retirement. His car going up in flames after an MGU-K failure.
When you're so annoyed about your car being on fire that you can't be bothered to get out of your car that's on fire pic.twitter.com/TJJuk2e7Q4
— iGP Manager (@iGPManager) March 17, 2019
Haas, sadly, didn’t leave their Australian Grand Prix pit stop woes behind them in 2018. No doubt some great content for season two of the Netflix documentary.
LAP 16/58
A slow stop for Grosjean drops him down the order 😩
But the wheels stay on – Haas will be looking to bury their 2018 demons that cost them a valuable haul of points#AusGP 🇦🇺 #F1 pic.twitter.com/r0clHpyVVo
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 17, 2019
At the halfway point, it was very much Valtteri Bottas’ race to lose with Hamilton struggling for pace.
Ricciardo, running with too much damage after his dramatic start, became the second retirement.
Literally our least favourite thing to tweet ever. Daniel’s car is wheeled back into the garage. We’re having to retire him as a precaution following his incident earlier. #RSspirit #AusGP pic.twitter.com/ASfvQytI8k
— Renault F1 Team (@RenaultF1Team) March 17, 2019
Grosjean, with his front left not fitted properly, soon followed…
No!!!! Disappointment for @RGrosjean as he’s forced to park his #VF19 up at the side of the track on lap 32. #AusGP #HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/7dniyao2pz
— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) March 17, 2019
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen was on the charge, overtaking Sebastian Vettel for P3 and in hot pursuit of Hamilton.
After all the talk about Ferrari in Winter Testing…it amounted to this exchange during the race:
Sebastian Vettel on the team radio: Why are we so slow? 😞
Ferrari: We don't know. pic.twitter.com/7SXugppycj
— Sebastian Vettel #5 (@sebvettelnews) March 17, 2019
So after a winless 2018 campaign, Bottas is off to a winning start at the first time of asking in 2019. And got a bonus point for the fastest lap, too.
Valtteri Bottas wins the Australian Grand Prix!
Zero wins in 2018; off the mark straightaway in 2019 🙌🏻 #AusGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/urB5nROtaW
— Planet F1 (@Planet_F1) March 17, 2019
But the bigger talking point will no doubt be how Ferrari have failed to get on the podium in the opening race for the first time since 2014…
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