The Australian GP as it happened

By: Haydn Cobb, Tom Howard, Stefan Mackley

Summary


	Summary Leclerc wins the Australian GP from Perez and Russell to extend his championship lead Rival Verstappen retires when running second after suffering a mechanical problem SC deployed after Vettel crashes out at Turn 4, benefitting Russell and Alonso who had yet to pit Sainz spins off into the gravel on second lap, also bringing out the SC
	Leaderboard Leclerc, Ferrari Perez, Red Bull Russell, Mercedes Hamilton, Mercedes Norris, McLaren Ricciardo, McLaren Ocon, Alpine Bottas, Alfa Romeo Gasly, AlphaTauri Albon, Williams

Status: Stopped

10:06 With that we'll call time on this live coverage of the Australian GP. Thanks for following along, we'll be back in two weeks at Imola for the Emilia Romagna GP - the first sprint race weekend of 2022.

10:06 Until then have a lovely Sunday and go well! Cheers!

10:04 With that we'll call time on this live coverage of the Australian GP. Thanks for following along, we'll be back in two weeks at Imola for the Emilia Romagna GP - the first sprint race weekend of 2022.

09:59

And here's the latest F1 drivers' standings:

09:55

09:54 Come the end of 2022 that could be a massive race in terms of the championship fight, with Leclerc picking up a maximum score and Verstappen taking a big fat zero. Only 20 more races to find out. That's twenty. Oh my.

09:50

Here's the full race report on the Australian GP as Leclerc scores a dominant win:

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/f1-australian-gp-leclerc-scores-dominant-win-as-verstappen-retires/9768584/

09:49

Leclerc and company stand to attention to the winners' national anthems as is customary. The Monegasque and Italian anthems work really well together, very jolly.

09:47 The drivers' head to the podium, which has a balcony at the top for photographers and the TV cameras which looks very fancy.

09:44 Leclerc now has a 34-point lead in the drivers' standings and records a grand slam at the Australian GP: Pole position, led from start to finish, won the race and got the fastest lap.

09:43 Leclerc on the title fight: "We are only at the third race so it is difficult to think about the championship but we have a very strong car and a very reliable car. For now we've always been there so I hope it continues like this."

09:42 Leclerc on his win: "What a car today, I did a good job all weekend but it was not possible without the car, in the race pace it was so strong and we were managing the tyres so well."

09:39

Russell on his third place: "We've got to be in it to win it and capitalise on others' misfortune and obviously we got a little bit lucky today twice, but we'll take it."

09:38 Leclerc leaps into the arms of his Ferrari mechanics to start the celebrations. After Verstappen dropped out of the race he did have it easy, but in truth he was in control of the race from start to finish.

09:34 Norris leads home McLaren team-mate Ricciardo for fifth and sixth, with Ocon seventh for Alpine, Bottas eighth for Alfa Romeo and Gasly ninth for AlphaTauri.

09:33 Albon does eventually make his mandatory pit stop in final moments and manages to snare the final world championship point in P10. A great drive from the Williams racer, well deserved.

09:33 Leclerc also sets the fastest lap of the race with his final effort of 1m20.260s - he needed that as Alonso put in a 1m20.846s which would have beaten his previous best and lost him the bonus point.

09:32 Perez takes second place for Red Bull, as Russell takes his first podium for Mercedes in third place with Hamilton in fourth place.

09:31 Leclerc wins the Australian GP for Ferrari! An utterly dominant performance!

09:30 Leclerc begins the final lap with a 19.6 lead over Perez. Start the car.