Formula Journal

Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly have all been disqualified from today’s race.

Hamilton’s skid blocks were found to be underweight (0.5mm below the limit) which has caused his disqualification. The skid blocks are found in the floor and they prevent the car running too low. If a skid block is worn too much the car runs lower on the ground scoring the team and driver an advantage. Hamilton has dropped from P6 to outside the points. A disappointing end to his weekend which started well with his first Ferrari win in the sprint.

Both Leclerc and Gasly’s cars were both deemed to be underweight. Ferrari say that it was Charles’ one-stop strategy that ‘meant his tyre wear was very high’ Also their statement confirmed that ‘There was no intention to gain any advantage.’

Alpine have posted on instagram that they have accepted the outcome and intend to move forward to Japan.

The disqualifications result in many drivers rising up the leader board and gaining valuable points.

The top 10 now stands:

Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, George Russell, Max Verstappen, Esteban Ocon, Kimi Antonelli, Alex Albon, Oliver Bearman, Lance Stroll, Carlos Sainz.

George Russell had a better start than Oscar Piastri who was on pole, but Oscar maintained his position while Norris snuck in front of Russell. Both Ferrari’s made their way ahead of Max Verstappen, but unfortunately Charles and Lewis had a little ‘kiss’ leaving Charles’ front wing damaged. Charles managed to keep it together throughout the race with that front wing. On Lap 4 Fernando Alonso retired his car with a brake problem, unlucky for him, as he now hasn’t finished a race so far this season.

After 10 laps many drivers drove into the pits to change their tyres as they were degrading rapidly. Whilst drivers were going in and out of the pits, Alex Albon was left out in front and the birthday boy had a taste at what it was like to lead the race.

Lap 21 the Ferrari’s swapped giving Charles an opportunity to pass the drivers ahead. Lap 25 Oliver Bearman and Lance Stroll had a scrap which Ollie bowed out of and pitted. After Ollie pitted he was a machine tricking his rivals with a sneaky move around the hairpin, to which he’d say ‘Ciao’ on the radio.

Lap 43 we were wondering whether or not the hard tyres would make it to the end, for those who chose the one-stop strategy (which was a popular one). Meanwhile Max Verstappen had been pretty quiet throughout the race but he began picking up the pace, hunting down Charles Leclerc. Oscar kept it cool out in front but his teammate behind him in P2 was struggling with his tyres. Lap 53 was a game of cat and mouse between Max and Charles but Max managed his tyres better and quickly overtook Leclerc.

The last lap was full of suspense with Norris having brake failure and loosing time, which meant the gap between him and Russell, in P3, went from 7 seconds to 1 second. Lando managed to push his car across the line and survived to keep his position. The race finished a McLaren 1-2, Max finished 4th ahead of Leclerc, with Hamilton behind him, before their disqualification. Want to know why they were disqualified? Read my next post to find out.

The first race of the season commenced last Sunday and if you’re a dedicated Brit like me you woke up at 4am (or earlier) to watch the race, and I don’t regret it one bit….. The Australian Grand Prix was brutal and full of entertainment, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats until the checkered flag.

Before the race even started rookie Isack Hadjar crashed on the formation lap. When he walked back through the pit lane Anthony Hamilton was there to comfort him, which was a very heartfelt moment to watch.

As soon as the lights went out Verstappen was on the tail end of Norris with Oscar behind him. Also on the first lap rookie Jack Doohan slipped in the rain and found himself in the wall along with Carlos Sainz during the safety car, unlucky for him in his first race with Williams.

Great race for Lando Norris but unfortunately not so lucky for home boy Oscar Piastri. Both McLaren drivers found themselves in the grass. Lando was able to scrape out alive and still led the Grand Prix but Oscar found himself stuck in the grass. Oscar did eventually reverse and commence his race but fell down the pack after being 2nd, leaving Max in his place.

Unfortunately the weather was nobody’s friend as by the end Fernando Alonso, Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto crashed too.

It was an unfortunate day for the Ferrari’s, Leclerc and Hamilton finishing 8th and 10th respectively, with both of them bickering with their engineers. Nothing has changed.

In the last couple of laps Verstappen began hunting, gaining DRS (Drag Reduction System) on Norris, it was a fight until the very end but Norris made it stick and he was the one to stand on the top step of the podium and earn driver of the day.

Also an amazing F1 debut by Kimi Antonelli whose 5 second penalty was reversed and he finished P4, next to teammate George Russell who finished P3. Alex Albon brought the points home for Williams in P5, the car is looking hopeful for the rest of the season. For the first time in a very, very long time someone other than Max Verstappen is leading the Drivers’ Championship and Lando Norris is the one to end that streak.