WATCH: Max Verstappen out of Australian GP after engine failure

Max Verstappen faced an engine issue on lap four of the race.

WATCH: Max Verstappen out of Australian GP after engine failure

Adrian Newey and Max Verstappen (Via: Imago, X/Sky Sportz, screenshot)

Four laps on the lap counter for the Australian GP and Max Verstappen is out of the race with an engine issue. This was not in the script for the reigning world championship during the ongoing event.

As the lights went out, Max Verstappen got off to a decent start and was leading the race, but soon after, he was overtaken by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. While he was trying to catch up to the Spaniard, smoke started coming out of his car, and the Dutchman crawled his way back into the pits.

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The 26-year-old is out of the race and this is a major blow for him. Ahead of the ongoing 58-lap event, a DNF for Verstappen was not really expected by anyone, considering he started from P1.

FS Video

As he is watching from the pits, Carlos Sainz is still leading the race on lap 12 with Lando Norris in second and Red Bull’s other driver, Sergio Perez in third position. With Verstappen out, the onus to bring maximum points to the Austrian team has shifted onto Perez.

Max Verstappen had a new power unit for the Australian GP

While Max Verstappen is looking at the ongoing action from the comforts of the Red Bull garage, he was running a new power until during the race. Ahead of Saturday’s running, the Austrian outfit was forced into changing the PU on Verstappen’s RB20.

Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen ( Image via IMAGO)

As per racingnews365, the reigning world champion ran wide at Turn 10 in first practice and sustained damage to the floor and chassis. Because of this, he also had to miss the first 20 minutes of Free Practice 2.

However, despite the change of the PU on Verstappen’s car, things have not panned out well for him. He is watching the action from the pits and has lost out on the opportunity to win the 2024 Australian GP. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc are looking as the favorites to triumph in the ongoing event.

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