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Well, the 2023 Australian GP was a rollercoaster, and if you didn't have a headache after the race, kudos to you. In a race that featured action, lots and lots of action, multiple stoppages, crashes and what not, it was the same man who rose to the top.
Max Verstappen won the 2023 Australian GP in as much of a controlled manner as possible, considering the variables thrown into the mix. Lewis Hamilton secured his team's first podium of the season, finishing P2 ahead of Fernando Alonso. Lance Stroll scored his best result of the season in P4, while Sergio Perez climbed his way back up the field to P5.
The race proceedings are surely going to lead to a lot of debate, as multiple red flags raised eyebrows. However, as the adrenaline comes down, what were some of the key takeaways from the 2023 Australian GP:
#1 It's 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' for FIA stewards
The FIA stewards are not only in an uncomfortable position, but they're also in a position where they just cannot win.
A race ending under a safety car has been a strict no-no from F1 (Monza was one of the exceptions last season). What that means is that a late-race safety car is going to bring out red flags, and those red flags are going to lead to a few angry voices.
Let's make one thing clear: the FIA stewards did most of the things right in terms of procedure and in terms of bringing out the red flag. Is a two-lap dash to the end of the race risky? Yes, it is, but it was the same thing that was used in Baku in 2021 and was termed a resounding success.
At the end of the day, it's on the drivers to know where the limit is. The drivers missed the mark in the second restart, not the stewards. There will always be someone who is unhappy but at the end of the day, if stewards bring a certain level of consistency in their processes, the teams will adapt.
#2 Red Bull still the quickest car, with a buffer
After a few laps in the race, it became clear that Max Verstappen at the front of the field was managing things and not truly unleashing the Red Bull. The car was not in its proper working window this weekend, but it was still able to hold a clear advantage over the rest of the field.
Sergio Perez was on his way to a top-eight finish and on a track like Albert Park, that's still very impressive. It's up to the other teams to catch up because even though it might appear that the gap is not as pronounced as it appeared in Jeddah, it clearly is.
#3 Some floodlights and that 4th DRS will make F1 Australian GP epic
The 2022 Australian GP was, well, a damp squib, at best. The race featured far too many DRS trains with next to no overtaking opportunities for the chasing pack.
The 2023 edition has, however, shown that the fourth DRS zone could be the answer to that. Some of the overtakes pulled in that zone were especially breathtaking, and the wheel-to-wheel action was certainly better.
Add in those reported floodlights, move the timing to a more suitable hour, and the Australian GP is going to be mega, especially as it's doing close to half a million spectators already over the race weekend.
#4 Charles Leclerc's shoulders might be dropping already
Leclerc had a weekend to forget in Australia, as he was first outqualified by Sainz because of a misunderstanding.
What followed in the race was a rather uncharacteristic first-lap accident that left his Ferrari beached in the gravel. What was a bit surprising was Leclerc's team radio after the crash, it wasn't the typical angry Leclerc, it was a disappointed and almost sad driver who didn't have much to say.
Leclerc knows he can fight for the title in the right car. He knows he can beat Verstappen; he did that a few times last season. He might. however, be second-guessing his decision to achieve all that with Ferrari. The car's just not there; the strategic mishaps have started to weigh on Leclerc, and it's not looking good.
#5 Mercedes need to take long hard look at strategy unit
The decision to pit George Russell during the safety car during the 2023 Australian GP was the wrong one.
It was the wrong one even if there was no red flag, as Mercedes inadvertently gave up the race lead. With Russell keeping Hamilton behind him, Verstappen would have found it difficult to overtake the Mercedes driver.
With Russell out of the way, Hamilton was exposed and had nothing to fight with. To add to that, sure, there's an argument that Russell saved the time in a pitstop, but with Hamilton stuck in traffic while Verstappen was in clean air, it would be foolish to bet on anyone but the Red Bull driver winning the 2023 Australian GP.
Mercedes need to take a look at its strategy unit, as the 2023 Australian GP held a peculiar similarity to Zandvoort and Mexico last season. When push comes to shove, the team makes wrong choices, which was also the case in Melbourne on Sunday.
