Engine failure ends Lewis Hamilton’s nightmare Australian GP weekend
Lewis Hamilton becomes the second big name to retire from the F1 Australian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton’s nightmare weekend at the F1 Australian Grand Prix has come to an end with a suspected engine failure.
The seven-time world champion had been running just outside of the top-10 in Melbourne when he suddenly slowed on the back straight, reporting his power unit had given up.
Hamilton ground to a halt in the final sector on Lap 17, resulting in the deployment of the Virtual Safety Car while marshals recovered his stricken Mercedes.
It has been a weekend to forget to Hamilton, who suffered his worst qualifying at Albert Park since 2010 with a shock Q2 elimination after only managing a time good enough for 11th on the grid.
Hamilton joins former title rival Max Verstappen on the sidelines in what has been a dramatic start to the Australian Grand Prix.
Reigning world champion Verstappen was forced into retirement on Lap 4 when his Red Bull RB20 developed a mechanical failure.
The pair of dramatic DNFs have blown the race wide open, with Carlos Sainz currently heading a Ferrari 1-2 ahead of Charles Leclerc.
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