5 peculiar but true facts about the 2024 F1 Australian GP

The 2024 Australian GP marked the third race on the F1 calendar and saw the Ferraris enjoying their supremacy over the Milton Keynes-based outfit - Red Bull. After nine consecutive wins since the 2023 Singapore GP, Max Verstappen's dominance faced an end behest Carlos Sainz's smooth run.

Moving forward, the recently concluded 58-lap dash at the Albert Park Circuit has birthed some atypical aspects that only a handful of GP races would have produced until now.

#1 Carlos Sainz becomes the first driver to seal a win after coming from surgery since 1997

Race winner Carlos Sainz of Spain and Ferrari celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 24, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

The Spaniard underwent appendicitis surgery because of which he missed the Saudi Arabian GP and debutant Oliver Bearman filled in for him, coming home with a P7 finish. Nevertheless, Sainz made an astonishing comeback, ending Red Bull's streak of dominance and winning the Australian GP.

Sainz sealed his first win without starting on pole and became the first driver since former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger in 1977 to return from a procedure and win a race. Berger marked his absence for three races due to sinusitis surgery and the sad demise of his father but made an impressive comeback with a P1 finish at the 1997 German GP.

#2 RedBull last faced a reliability issue in 2022 but on the same Melbourne circuit

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing looks on from the grid prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 24, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Max Verstappen was dominating the 14-turn circuit until a brake issue on lap four ended his run. The problem was so severe that flames were visible over the rear brakes of the car. The Austrian company savored a comfortable two-year run without a reliability issue, with the last turmoil coming at the same circuit, back in 2022 when the 3x world champion retired due to a mechanical failure.

However, their 2022 Australian GP run was saved by Sergio Perez back then when he came home with a P2 finish, unlike this race where he finished out of the podium in P5.

#3 Lewis Hamilton didn’t qualify for the Q3 for the first time since the 2010 Australian GP

Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain and Mercedes looks on in the garage during final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Australia at Albert Park Circuit on March 23, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

The seven-time F1 world champion failed to get past Q2 in the Australian GP time-testing stint, as he got narrowly outperformed by the Aston Martins, fielded by Lance Stroll (in P9) and Fernando Alonso (in P10). This was the first time since the 2010 Australian GP that the Brit failed to get his W15 into Q3.

Moreover, Hamiton, too suffered a premature race exit as he fell victim to an engine failure on lap 17, slashing the odds of finishing inside the points, let alone securing the podium spot.

#4 Lando Norris became the only F1 driver with most podiums without a win

Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren prepares to drive in the garage prior to final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on March 08, 2024 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

The Papaya McLaren driver sealed the P3 spot after chasing the Prancing Horses throughout the 5.278 km circuit. With yet another podium finish in the pinnacle of motorsport, Norris now has 14 of them in his arsenal.

However, with his P3 finish at the Australian GP, the 24-year-old Brit has achieved the unwanted feat of being the only driver in F1 to have maximum podiums without a win, surpassing the previous holder Nick Heidfeld, with 13 podiums.

#5 Whenever Carlos Sainz has won a race, George Russell has crashed his ride

Third placed qualifier George Russell of Great Britain and Mercedes reacts in parc ferme during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain at Bahrain International Circuit on March 01, 2024 in Bahrain, Bahrain. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images)

The event is highly unlikely but true. The Silver Arrows driver crashed his car whenever the Ferrari driver sealed the victory.

The first one came in the Great Britain GP, Silverstone, in 2022, followed by the final lap crash during the 2023 Singapore GP that ended the prospects of a podium finish.

The latest crash at the Albert Park Circuit brought Russell's car to a lateral standstill, bringing up a virtual safety car. So, technically, before the checkered flag even dropped, Sainz was the official winner of the Australian GP.