MELBOURNE: Charles Leclerc has completed a dominant weekend in his Ferrari after converting his pole position into a comprehensive triumph in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.
The 24-year-old Leclerc extended his lead in the drivers’ championship while claiming his second win of the season following victory in the season-opening race in Bahrain.
Leclerc was able to hold off Red Bull rival Max Verstappen during the opening laps and defended well mid-race under safety car conditions to pull away for a decisive 20.524-second victory.
Sergio Perez overcame a slow start to take second ahead of the Mercedes’ combination of George Russell, who secured his first podium finish for the season, and Lewis Hamilton.
McLaren pair Orlando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo finished fifth and sixth.
Verstappen, the world champion, endured another frustrating race when a mechanical failure ended his hopes while he was running second 39 laps into the 58-lap race.
But Verstappen never really challenged Leclerc, whose Ferrari was clearly the quicker car under race conditions in Melbourne.
The drivers’ championship leader, who pitted on Lap 22, confirmed that when posting the fastest lap of 1 minute, 20.260 seconds with a final-lap flourish.
“The car was incredible today. Really. What a race. What a day,” Leclerc said.
His teammate Carlos Sainz, who finished on the podium in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, had less luck in a testing weekend.
After an issue in qualifying resulted in him starting from ninth, he dropped back further in the field with a slow start and then lost control on the second lap, ending his race.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc wins Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix
https://arab.news/ptawc
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc wins Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix
- Extends his lead in the drivers’ championship while claiming his second win of the season
Saudi cultural identity on show at Winter Olympics fashion showcase
- Skier Rakan Alireza represents the Kingdom at event in Milan, modeling bespoke design by renowned Saudi fashion designer Alya Al-Salmi
- 17 National Olympic Committees participate in showcase and Saudis are sole representatives of the Arab world
MILAN: Ahead of the opening ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, cross-country skier Rakan Alireza represented Team Saudi at an Olympic Winter Games Fashion Showcase hosted by the International Olympic Committee in Milan this week.
He modeled a bespoke design by renowned Saudi fashion designer Alya Al-Salmi at the event on Wednesday, which took place at Clubhouse 26, the official hospitality venue for the Games.
Seventeen National Olympic Committees participated in the showcase and the Saudis were the sole representatives of the Arab world.
The design of Alireza’s outfit was described as drawing inspiration from Saudi heritage, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens that seamlessly blends tradition with modern elegance, offering a visual narrative of national identity presented within an international context.
Regarded as one of Saudi Arabia’s most prominent fashion designers, Al-Salmi also created the outfits worn by team Saudi at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The opening ceremony for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games is on Friday.
