RACE ZONE

NOT THE start to the season Max Verstappen wanted. Red Bull’s novel race strategy had the 20-year-old dreaming of a win, but those hopes were extinguished before the first corner when Kevin Magnussen passed him for fourth. He spun on lap 10 to drop to eighth and finished sixth, 20 seconds behind team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, who took fourth and the fastest lap prize at his home race.

SeRGeY SIROTKIN had the dubious honour of being the season’s first retiree after a plastic bag got caught in his brake duct, causing his Williams to grind to a halt on lap four.

FERNANDO ALONSO’S forecast of ‘big points’ for McLaren following a switch to Renault power came true, with he and Stoffel Vandoorne collecting 12 between them. After just one double-points finish last season, the shoots of recovery are there. ‘Things are going to get better and better,’ said Alonso.

IT GOT a mixed response from drivers, but the installation of a third DRS (drag reduction system) zone for the first time in F1 improved the spectacle. Overtaking fell by 47 per cent last season and there were just two manoeuvres in Melbourne. That was beaten inside 10 laps yesterday.