Max Verstappen wins 2023 Australian GP as Lewis Hamilton settles for 2nd in chaotic Melbourne affair

Mercedes made the biggest improvements in Melbourne on Sunday, April 2, 2023.

The German team finished secured their first Top 3 finish of the season after Lewis Hamilton finished in P2.

However, Red Bull's Max Verstappen cruised to his second victory of the season after surviving three red flags and a late restart to take victory in Sunday's Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.

Verstappen had been leading the race comfortably, but a late red flag to clear debris after Kevin Magnussen had hit the wall led to a standing restart on Lap 56 of 58, as the 24-year-old Dutchman saw his advantage cut short.

The Dutchman assumed the lead once more after the restart, but there was chaos behind him, as Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz tipped Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso into a spin, and the two Alpine drivers, Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon collided, bringing out the red flag again.

Although there was a huge mix-up as to the correct finishing order, Race Control decreed that the results would be taken from the race order as it stood Lap 56, minus the cars that had retired after the restart.

The final result saw Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton take second behind Max Verstappen, while Aston Martin’s Sebastian Alonso continued his impressive run this season and sealed a third consecutive third-place finish.

Here are the full results from the Australian Grand Prix below:

1, Max Verstappen - Oracle Red Bull Racing

2, Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes AMG

3, Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin

4, Lance Stroll - Aston Martin

5, Sergio Perez - Oracle Red Bull Racing

6, Lando Norris - McLaren

7, Nico Hulkenberg - Haas

8, Oscar Piastri - McLaren

9, Zhou Guanyu - Alfa Romeo

10, Yuki Tsunoda -  Scuderia Alpha Tauri

11, Valtteri Bottas -  Alfa Romeo

12, Carlos Sainz - Scuderia Ferrari