Context and weekend notes
Melbourne was the first truly chaotic race of the season, with multiple red flags and a restart sequence that repeatedly reset the order.
Qualifying summary
Verstappen took pole ahead of Russell and Hamilton, while Perez's Q1 crash left Red Bull under pressure before the race even started.
Race key events
Verstappen led the restart to win from Hamilton and Alonso, with Perez recovering to fifth after the stops and red-flag interruptions reshaped strategy.
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time/Gap | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT | 2:32:38.371 | 25 |
| 2 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | +0.179s | 18 |
| 3 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes | +0.769s | 15 |
Technical/strategy highlights
Red flag timing and tyre choices mattered more than outright pace, and Perez's fastest lap point was one of the few rewards for Red Bull's otherwise messy afternoon.
Post-race and impact
The result preserved Verstappen's lead and showed that even a chaotic race could still end with the championship favourite on top.
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