MELBOURNE, Australia– Max Verstappen’s run of 9 straight success pertained to a remarkable end at the Australian Grand Prix, where a brake fire ended his race early Sunday. The ruling champ, who declared lead Saturday, seemed breezing to another comfy win after holding the lead into Turn 1. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz got past a lap later on, and smoke began appearing from the right-rear tire of the Red Bull. Verstappen slowed and went back to the pits, where the brake duct significantly took off as he did so. Having actually dropped in the Red Bull pit box, Verstappen instantly climbed up out of his automobile, signifying completion of his race. Television video cameras then revealed the Dutchman, who had actually taken his race helmet off, madly tapping his forehead and mouthing something as he strolled through the Red Bull garage. It has actually not yet been verified what triggered the problem. Verstappen has actually looked practically unequalled up until now this year, and the dependability concern will open a want to F1 fans Red Bull’s class-leading cars and truck has an essential weak point. The race retirement left Sainz in line for an exceptional success, having actually missed out on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2 weeks ago with appendicitis. Sainz’s status for this weekend’s race was just validated on Friday, after he had actually finished practice laps for Ferrari. McLaren’s Lando Norris and his colleague, regional hero Oscar Piastri, remain in the mix, together with Sainz’s Ferrari colleague Charles Leclerc. Verstappen’s colleague Sergio Perez might well lament a three-place grid charge which dropped him from 3rd on the grid to 6th, entrusting to all of it to do to make sure a Red Bull still ends up the race on top.