Max Verstappen, the driver for Red Bull Racing, has revealed that his Formula 1 car experienced a malfunction during the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. Verstappen started the race in pole position but was overtaken on the second lap due to issues with his car. Smoke began to emerge from the rear of his vehicle, and he was forced to retire as his brakes caught fire. Verstappen explained that the right rear brake had become stuck from the moment the race began, causing the temperatures to rise and eventually leading to the fire. This issue also affected the balance of the car, making it difficult for Verstappen to maintain control. He expressed frustration over the team’s decision to perform a pit stop while his car was on fire, questioning the logic behind it.
Verstappen had been aiming to equal his previous record of 10 consecutive victories but instead experienced his first retirement since leaving the Australian GP in 2022.
When asked if he felt frustrated or disappointed, Verstappen responded: “Not really, to be honest. I mean, of course, I’m disappointed that I couldn’t finish the race because I think we had a good chance of winning. The car’s balance felt quite nice during the laps to the grid.
“I felt confident and saw an improvement compared to the long runs we did in practice. But there are some things you can’t control.”
The three-time World Champion bounced back from his previous defeat in Singapore with a dominant performance in Japan, the next race on the F1 calendar in an earlier time slot.
Verstappen admits that the opportunity to recover in Suzuka “excites me, because I want to win,” understanding that his next retirement was inevitable.
“Of course, we had a lot of consecutive successful races and good reliability,” he acknowledged.
“And I knew that the day would come when you have a retirement, and unfortunately, that day was today.
He added: “We already had a remarkable run of two years. That’s quite impressive.
“But of course, you never want to see it happen. Now, it’s more important for us to understand why it occurred.”