Max Verstappen shall be heavy favourite to make it three wins from three this season as his Red Bull crew try to put weeks of paddock intrigue behind them on the Australian Grand Prix.
The Dutch three-time world champion emphatically led residence team-mate Sergio Perez in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, however the celebrations have been overshadowed by crew disunity and allegations towards Christian Horner.
The long-serving Red Bull boss was cleared of inappropriate conduct involving a lady colleague forward of the season-opener in Sakhir and tried to place a lid on the drama in Jeddah.
But the unnamed lady has appealed to Red Bull GmbH, the dad or mum firm of the all-conquering Formula One crew.
She has additionally reportedly lodged an official grievance to Formula One’s governing physique the FIA, making certain the saga will rumble on in Melbourne this weekend.
Horner has guided Red Bull to 6 constructors’ and 7 drivers’ world championships since 2005, together with the final three gained by Verstappen.
But the star driver’s father, the previous racer Jos Verstappen, claimed earlier this month that Red Bull confronted being “torn apart” if Horner remained in his place.
His son additionally issued a veiled threat to quit if team adviser Helmut Marko was sidelined in any energy battle.
Horner insisted “it is absolutely fine with Max”, however added the caveat that “we are a team and no single individual is bigger than the team”.
That piqued the curiosity of Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who wants a substitute subsequent season when Lewis Hamilton departs for Ferrari.
As a lot was additionally advised by the Daily Express.
“There is no team up and down the grid who wouldn’t do handstands to have him (Verstappen) in a car,” Wolff informed reporters forward of arriving in Australia.
Momentum
Intrigue apart, victory in Saudi Arabia was Verstappen’s ninth in a row, with extra of the identical anticipated at Albert Park, barring any technical hiccups.
“It has been a great start to the year and we don’t know the full potential of the car yet, so now we want to keep the momentum going,” mentioned the Red Bull ace.
Max Verstappen gained a chaotic race from pole in Australia final yr, holding off Hamilton after the grand prix was red-flagged thrice, with a number of crashes and simply 12 drivers ending.
It was his maiden win in Australia and Red Bull’s first within the nation since Sebastian Vettel in 2011.
Perez, within the different Red Bull, is the one driver to get near Verstappen this yr.
The Mexican is decided to maintain urgent exhausting as Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc snaps at his heels.
“Max is driving at a super-high level and I think he is the only driver who has maximised qualifying and the race so far this season,” mentioned Perez.
“It is great though because I have the best possible challenge in him. I must keep evolving weekend after weekend.”
With Max Verstappen already 15 factors away from Perez and 23 forward of Leclerc, the Ferrari primary is determined to interrupt the stranglehold in Australia and shut the hole earlier than it widens too far.
Whether his Ferrari companion Carlos Sainz returns is up within the air after the Spaniard missed Saudi Arabia with appendicitis.
In his absence, reserve driver Oliver Bearman, simply 18, scored a shocking seventh on his debut after only one free observe session, showcasing the Briton’s large potential.
Hamilton’s Mercedes has now gone 47 races with no win, and judging by the automobile’s efficiency to this point, they gained’t be breaking the barren streak any time quickly.
Instead, it seems set to be one other week of battling for the minor locations with Aston Martin and McLaren.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton, who got here ninth in Jeddah, believes his automobile has potential however admitted it was battling grip at high-speed corners.
“These next few races will be tricky but we will be putting in a great deal of effort to improve as much as we can,” he mentioned.
Standings earlier than Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne’s Albert Park, the third race of the Formula One season:
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (NED) 51 pts, 2. Sergio Perez (MEX) 36, 3. Charles Leclerc (MON) 28, 4. George Russell (GBR) 18, 5. Oscar Piastri (AUS) 16, 6. Carlos Sainz (ESP) 15, 7. Fernando Alonso (ESP) 12, 8. Lando Norris (GBR) 12, 9. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 8, 10. Oliver Bearman (GBR) 6, 11. Nico Hulkenberg (GER) 1, 12. Lance Stroll (CAN) 1, 13. Alexander Albon (THA) 0, 14. Zhou Guanyu (CHN) 0, 15. Kevin Magnussen (DEN) 0, 16. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 0, 17. Esteban Ocon (FRA) 0, 18. Yuki Tsunoda (JPN) 0, 19. Logan Sargeant (USA) 0, 20. Valtteri Bottas (FIN) 0, 21. Pierre Gasly (FRA) 0
Constructors
1. Red Bull 87 pts, 2. Ferrari 49, 3. McLaren 28, 4. Mercedes 26, 5. Aston Martin 13, 6. Haas 1, 7. Williams 0, 8. Sauber 0, 9. RB 0, 10. Alpine 0
By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
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