Race Review: Australian Grand Prix 2024

Remember the days when Australia used to be the season opener? That was in another era of Formula One. And, although the streets around Albert Park don't always give us the most exciting races, the past few years can easily challenge that statement and make it void. In 2024, things were not much different with another exciting, drama-filled race on the cards for us racing aficionados.

Red Bull's weekend was pretty hit and miss from the get go, with both cars struggling in practice, qualifying and the race. Although, some fans hopes and dreams were diminished when Max Verstappen, once again, stuck his lean, mean racing machine on pole. However, come race day, the racing Gods had other plans, causing Verstappen's and Red Bull's first mechanical retirement since Australia 2022. The crowd may have gone wild with excitement, but no driver wants to retire from a race through no fault of their own. Despite this, and with no disrespect to Verstappen and Red Bull, Formula One needed this to happen. To regain faith from fans, so to speak. But, did Verstappen's retirement actually add anything to this race other than giving the F1 world a winner that wasn't him? Maybe, maybe not. I won't moan though, this race was essentially like a "breath of fresh air."

What is sad though, is that after every race we find ourselves questioning the performance of Sergio Perez, and Australia was no different. With Verstappen out of the way, this should have been Perez's big opportunity. Of course, his grid penalty for impeding Nico Hulkenberg in qualifying made his quest for victory that little bit harder, but still, when you're in the fastest car it's easy for the sofa experts to be so critical. It was a difficult race for Perez, with floor damage and zero grip, as well as the grid penalty, making it a frustrating 58 laps for the Mexican driver. However, some people like to ignore the potential issues that have plagued him and generally expect more of him. It's no secret though that his 2023 slump seems to still be there in one way or another. With his contract up at the end of this season, it really looks like it's going to be "Drive to Survive" for him this year.

Plenty of other drivers also found themselves in a nightmare during this weekend's race. For us fans, it just added to the dramatics. Both Mercedes drivers of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell ended up with a big fat DNF. Hamilton for mechanical failures, Russell due to a big crash on the penultimate lap. Were Race Control correct to end the race under a Virtual Safety Car, or should they have thrown a red flag and abandoned the final lap? The online debate is intriguing, and, if you're interested, I'm team red flag. But, at the end of the day, there is no bigger relief than seeing a driver come away unscathed after a crash. Still, it's disappointing to see Mercedes struggle. From dominating the championships from 2014-2020, to now finding themselves fighting at the mid to back end of the points. As frustrating as their domination was at times, we need them back up there, fighting with the pack - something that we all crave.

Another interesting debate to have come to fruition from the race is the penalty that Fernando Alonso received several hours after the chequered flag. His crimes? Dangerous driving that caused George Russell's accident. It seems to be a complicated affair with many against the drive through penalty (twenty seconds) that demoted the Spaniard to an 8th place finish. In reality, with Alonso admitting a change in approach to turn six, the dirty air was ultimately to blame for the accident. But, the stewards have the data, the telemetry. Surely there is some sense behind, what seems to be, madness? Is there? And, if you think I'm done with the drama, then I'm not sorry to report that there is more. From a 5 second time penalty for Alpine's Pierre Gasly, to more slow stops for Sauber - an issue that has plagued them in all three races thus far in 2024.

Shall we talk team orders? We saw them in Bahrain, we saw them Saudi Arabia and now we've seen them in Australia. All very interesting considering how early we are into the season. Sometimes you just want to see teammates race but alas, Ferrari told their drivers to hold positions (I shouldn't moan, as a Sainz fan,) and McLaren ordered theirs to switch. A bit harsh for Oscar Piastri who, at his home race, was nearing a podium position. Despite this though, the race was all about one man only - Carlos Sainz, who went on to dominate the race, taking only his third win in Formula One. What made this even more incredible was that it was his first race back since appendicitis. With no seat for 2025, and hype surrounding Oliver Bearman - Sainz's replacement last time out; Carlos was definitely on a mission to make a statement. And, a statement he made indeed.

Another driver out to make a statement this past weekend was RB's Yuki Tsunoda. A young driver with a fiesty reputation, Tsunoda hasn't always got people's tongues wagging. Until, this season, where he seems to be "wiping the floor" with critically acclaimed teammate; Daniel Ricciardo. 2024 is turning into a big opportunity for Tsunoda to prove his worth, and exciting prospect for those who enjoy watching the younger guys flourish.

And finally, Haas need a mention for their double points finish. Haas haas finally gotten on top of the car that struggles to get into the points on a usual sunshiny day? Or have both Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen decided now is the time to make an impact, with young Bearman waiting in the wings?

This Australian Grand Prix has made me feel like I've fallen in love with this sport all over again. And, I kind of wish Verstappen hadn't retired! Would we have had a big Sainz v Verstappen show down? Would Ferrari have beaten Red Bull as per Perez's claims? We will never know. Not this year, at least.

Opinion: Drama at Williams. Sargeant Out, Albon In - Unfair or Justifiable?

Ah, yes, there is no denying that Formula One and controversy go hand in hand. In fact, when was the last time a race weekend was controversy free? I dread to think. And, here we are, once again shrouded in controversy, with an issue I don’t think I’ve witnessed in my many, many years of watching the sport. Of course, I am referring to the shock decision by the Williams team to put driver Logan Sargeant on the sidelines for the Australian Grand Prix, after their other driver, Alex Albon, binned it during practice, wrecking the chassis in the process thus leaving Sargeant’s chassis as the sole one available for the team over course of this upcoming race weekend. And, with the Formula One community going wild on social media and the World Wide Web with comments surrounding “Chassis Gate,” it begs the question as to whether this swap was completely unfair or justifiably ok?

The initial response seems to be that this is an extremely harsh decision made by Williams team boss; James Vowles. I, myself, even branded it as a “disgrace” on Twitter (X). Why should Sargeant be punished for something he had no part of? Why should this have to be in, the American driver’s own words, “the hardest moment” of his career? It’s no secret that Sargeant’s performances have been, well, not the best; his sole point over the course of his F1 career to show for this. Regardless, this isn’t an excuse for Williams’ poor decision making, further damaging a driver’s dwindling confidence in the process.

“This decision was not made lightly, and we cannot thank Logan enough for his graceful acceptance, demonstrating his dedication to the team; he is a true team player.” - James Vowles, Williams Team Boss.

If anything, does this suggest that Williams have little trust in Sargeant and his performances? It would be easy to see why. But, for the sake of the driver’s mentality, this wasn’t the best way to out that fact.

Looking at the bigger picture, Williams’ controversial decision is, in some aspect, understandable. You see, when you’re a midfield/backend team, every little point means more money come the end of the season. In hindsight, Williams can’t really afford to miss out on any points that they can get their hands on. And, with Albon the stronger driver of the two, in terms of performance, the decision Vowles had to make can be, somewhat, justified.

“The midfield is so incredibly tight that a point or two or more may make the difference at the end of the season between being 10th or being 6th. (…) I have to prioritise the team above all else.” - James Vowles, Williams Team Boss

But, should this really have been a decision that needed to be made in the first place? Unfortunately for the team, a stretched Winter meant there was no time to prepare a spare chassis - something that teams always bring to races. Without it, team principals across the board may find themselves having to make similar decisions to the one made by James Vowles today. Regardless, it’s kind of difficult to believe a Formula One team would go to fly-away races without a spare shell. Is this reflective of just how bad financially F1 continues to be for smaller teams?

Either way, whether this decision was unfair or justifiable, it isn’t a good look for Formula One.   I get why it was made, I really do. But, do I agree with it? Not in the slightest. Would we see the likes of Red Bull or Ferrari opting for one driver over another in this way? I’m not convinced, unless it’s for the championship. And, they’re the type of teams you expect this behaviour from.

This decision could negatively impact Sargeant mentally, especially if perceived in the wrong context. It’s hard not feel sorry for the American driver. As for Albon, he HAS to perform well this weekend. Another crash or pointless finish could potentially make Williams the laughing stock of the grid. After all, as Vowles said, this decision could make all the difference at the end of the season.

Race Review: São Paulo Eprix 2024

Please, please tell me you watched that race? If you didn't, what are you waiting for?!?!

After a couple of, let's say "mediocre" Formula E races, the series returned, after a short break, with a bang. And, in usual FE fashion, no one could've predicted the nail-biting, yet fabulous, ending we were treated to. From start to finish, it was a task trying to keep up with who was where and what was what, and that just adds to all the fun.

Qualifying brought a glimmer of hope to DS Penske's 2024, after the first handful of races failed to shape up as to what they were expecting. Well, bar Jean-Eric Vergne's 2nd place finish in Diriyah, that is. The duo of Stoffel Vandoorne and Vergne found themselves starting 2nd and 3rd for the race. However, their fate was sealed (when I, a VER/VAN fan, who jinxes them, tuned in to watch) when a second Safety Car was thrown out, while both drivers were in attack mode. An unfortunate race for the American team saw Vergne finish in 7th and Vandoorne in 8th. Can DS Penske turn it around in time for Tokyo?

And, the DS Penske boys weren't the only ones having the "best" time. There was Max Günther and his crazy 40 place grid penalty followed by a 10 second stop/go. I don't think I've a seen a stop/go penalty for a while in motorsport, thank you FE for giving us a blast from the past. However, despite this, it was actually an impressive drive by Günther who managed to recover to 9th and into the points. Another driver having the time of his life was Nico Müller, who found himself involved in several on track tussles, eventually loosing his front wing and falling to the back of the pack. And, what about the likes of Nyck de Vries? His return to the series has been... well. I'm sure that once he finds his footing, we'll see reminiscences of the 2020-2021 Champion. We just need to remember, he's in a Mahindra.

This race has, so far, had the most Safety Cars in 2024. Two, to be exact. The first for the mountains of car parts littered across the track. How nobody retired during the first half of the race is incredible to me. And, second, for more debris, left behind by the bashed and bruised Jaguar of Nick Cassidy, who became a passenger when his front wing took a trip under his car. A heartbreaking moment for the Kiwi driver who, at the time, was involved in the battle for the lead/podium. A battle so heated, eventually it was going to end in tears, as well as the end of Cassidy's streak of wins/podiums.

Talking of the lead battle that involved, near enough, everyone; it was very evident that once again no one wanted to lead the race during the early stages. And, I can't decide if this is a good or bad thing for Formula E. It's good because it sets up some crazy battles, but bad because we're not necessarily getting that fight for the lead. It's more of a fight for second, or a fight for third. And, then I get lost as to who is where and confused as to how someone in 10th is suddenly leading. It's mad, but it's Formula E all over. And, this set up, plus three extra laps, gave us an ending that will go down in FE history.

The last few laps were all about Mitch Evans, Sam Bird, Jake Dennis and Pascal Wehrlein - Jaguar v McLaren v Andretti v Porsche. Some big names vying for the top spot. However, with Dennis and Wehrlein dropping back and soon out of the picture, it became the Evans v Bird show on the final corner, on the final lap, where Bird made a gutsy move for the lead, and made it stick, reaching the chequered flag less than half a second ahead of his ex-teammate. There is no better word to describe that last lap than"thriller." It was nail biting and exciting. Everything that motorsport should be. And, neither did it end there. Further back, while Dennis and Wehrlein were squabbling for the final podium spot, Oliver Rowland came out of nowhere, stealing it from the pair ahead. How? Where? God, I love Formula E.

This is one race that I could happily talk about for the rest of my days. And, it's surprising that so many people still disregard Formula E, declaring it nothing more than a "borefest." Well, my friends, just watch this race and your minds may just change.

Oh, and just so you are aware, Sergio Sette Camara found himself disqualified from this race for using more energy than allowed. Kind of heartbreaking at your home race, but rules are rules.

Next up is Tokyo on 30th March. See you then!