Formula 1: Max Verstappen’s brakes burst in Australia and his Red Bull catches fire!

There were barely three laps left in the Australian Grand Prix, the third date of the 2024 season, when the unthinkable happened: Max Verstappen’s Red Bull broke down! A spectacular failure in the RB20’s right rear brake caused the inaccessible, unstoppable, invincible car to burst into flames.

Up there, in that little handful of running meters, The three-time champion lost the lead to Spaniard Carlos Sainz, The Dutchman started well from pole, but on the second lap, with DRS already activated, the Spaniard moved ahead with his Ferrari. Suddenly smoke started rising from the rear of the Austrian team car. Just a vent. But its intensity kept increasing.

Shortly afterwards it was a smokescreen and Verstappen had no choice but to slow down, step aside, let everyone pass and head towards the pits. It was incredible to see the Dutchman struggling with the problems, an image rarely seen. And even less so, what happened when I was entering the pit lane on the road: The brakes burst!

game

Max Verstappen’s brakes explode!

Incredible image of the Dutchman leaving the Australian GP.

A trail of black carbon smoke, pieces flying in the air and more fire smoke. Yep, engulfed in flames, the RB20 came to the pits. Mechanics immediately activated fire extinguishers and shut down the car, which showed parts melted by the fire. Verstappen got out and quickly went to talk to his engineers about what had happened.

Thus ended the third F1 date for the champion and leader of the tournament. To find out his final retirement, you have to travel back to the 2022 season, when a fuel leak forced him to stop at… yes, the Australian GP. Since then, 43 Grands Prix have passed with Max reaching the checkered flag. It was his 32nd abandonment after participating in 188 races.

Verstappen’s weekend in Australia started tough and ended worse, With a moment of excitement in between. Roller-coaster. The energy drink team faced problems with RB20’s balance during training and it became difficult for him to even gray. His happy moment was only in Q3, when he unleashed his potential and achieved a finish that seemed unimaginable. But everything ended just as it had begun, or worse.

Abandonment lost its chance to equal its own record of ten consecutive wins; The streak became nine.