The F1 had a chaotic season opening at dawn on Sunday (16), with the Australia GP. The rain was present throughout the dispute, with different intensities, but enough to make the race even more challenging for the six novices of the category, including Gabriel Bortoleto, 20.
Responsible for putting Brazil back on the grid eight years after Felipe Massa left the category, when the hiatus of the country began, the Sauber Brazilian rode in the 47th round of a total of 57, ended up beating the wall and failed to complete the first of the 24 stages of the year, won by McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Even without gravity, the crash frustrated what was being a good weekend for the Brazilian, who had dropped 15, ahead of his teammate, the experienced Nico Hulkenberg, 37.
Bortoleto’s accident occurred at a time when rain began to fall more intensely on one of the circuit, even proving changes in the first positions. McLaren, who had the dominion since the start, ended up seeing Oscar Piostri loses control of the car and leaving the track, letting the chance to climb the podium before his crowd.
His teammate, Lando Norris, almost went the same way, but managed to control his car and win the dispute. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen inherited the second position, and George Russell with Mercedes closed the podium third.
“It was very cool, a difficult race, especially with Max behind me. I was accelerating much more in the last two laps, it was very stressed. It was difficult, we had some mistakes, very difficult the condition today, but we managed to finish first,” said Norris.
Among the rookies, Russell’s companion, Kimi Antonelli, 18, stood out, closing the dispute in fifth position. Oliver Bearman, 19, from Haas, was the other rookie who drove his car to the end, but crossed the finish line last.
In addition to Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar, 20, Jack Doohan, 22, and Liam Lawson, 23, also had accidents and did not complete the race.
Hadjar was the one who came out sadder, as he hit the return return. On the way to the pits, Antony Hamilton, father of the seven times world champion Lewis, whom the young man is a fan, still tried to comfort the boy, but it was no good.
In his first race for Ferrari, Hamilton did not have many reasons to celebrate, as it was only in tenth.
Formula 1 returns next Sunday (23), with the China GP, the second of the year. The next race, at the International Shanghai Circuit, starts at 4am (Brasília).
See the Australia GP classification:
- Lando Norris (McLaren)
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
- George Russell (Mercedes)
- Alexander Albon (Williams)
- Some Antonelli (Mercedes)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls)
- Esteban Ocon (Haas)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
- Liam Lawson (Red Bull) – Not completed
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber) – Not completed
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) – Not completed
- Carlos Sainz (Williams) – did not complete
- Jack Doohan (Alpine) – Not completed
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) –
