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• Verstappen beats Hamilton to claim chaotic first win in Australia

  Max Verstappen continued Red Bull's fine start to the Formula One season as he won his first Australian Grand Prix in a chaotic race on Sunday.

  The double world champion did not have it all his own way after dropping from pole position to third as he was passed by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in the resurgent Mercedes on the opening lap.

  There were three red flags, with Russell losing the lead amid the drama around the first and he was later forced to retire, with Verstappen overtaking Hamilton to go in front on lap 12.

  Verstappen charged clear from there to claim a second win from three races. He finished ahead of Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, though there was more drama and confusion before the final result was confirmed.

  Sergio Perez started in the pit lane after opting to change his car under parc ferme regulations due to his issues in qualifying, but he was able to salvage a fifth-place finish.

  Russell overtook Verstappen down the inside of the first corner and with the Dutchman on the back foot Hamilton forced his own way through.

  Last year's winner Charles Leclerc was in the gravel after contact with Lance Stroll, ending the Ferrari driver's race and bringing out the safety car in a thrilling start.

  The safety was car called out again on lap 7 after Alex Albon hit the wall, with leader Russell diving into the pits.

  However, that move backfired when a red flag followed soon after, leaving Hamilton and Verstappen – who had not stopped – with an advantage and Russell down in seventh.

  Russell promptly got back up for fourth after the restart, but it was not his day as he then lost power with the back of his car on fire.

  At the front, Verstappen clearly had the most pace and easily reclaimed the lead by sweeping past Hamilton round the outside in a DRS-assisted move.

  A Verstappen victory rarely looked in doubt from there until a late crash for Kevin Magnussen caused a second red flag.

  In a dramatic restart, contact between Carlos Sainz and Alonso caused an immediate third red flag and looked to have ended the Aston Martin veteran's podium hopes.

  A period of confusion then followed as the FIA determined what rules would be applied and Alonso was reprieved as it ordered the race to finish with the same order as existed before the restart, with Sainz receiving a time penalty.

• Sensational Binder ride clinches sprint victory after dramatic Marquez pole

  Brad Binder won MotoGP's sprint race in Argentina after a stunning ride saw him surge from 15th on the grid.

  The South African beat Marco Bezzecchi by just 0.072 seconds, with his Mooney VR46 team-mate Luca Marini coming in third to clinch a double podium for the team.

  Binder enjoyed a meteoric rise through the pack on the opening lap, leaping from his lowly start position to fourth and taking the lead on lap three en route to victory.

  Prior to the sprint, Marquez secured pole after a dramatic day for the Spaniard in Q1 saw him go top, crash out and abandon his number one bike as it caught fire.

  The younger Marquez brother rallied in Q2 after gambling on slick tyres in wet conditions to seal a maiden pole and his spot at the front of the pack for Sunday's race, following in his brother's footsteps after his pole in the season opener.

  Bezzecchi, who starts second, smashed the top time by two seconds but Marquez pipped him to pole, while a late charge from Francesco Bagnaia saw him bump Franco Morbidelli out of the top three.

  Binder's victory in the sprint caused quite a stir, with the man himself among those surprised by his performance.

  "I didn't expect that at all, honestly my bike worked so well from the first lap and I got the most unreal start I could have ever asked for," he told reporters.

  "I got really lucky [at the start] where there was a gap where the riders split, some were on the left and some were right so I could get down the middle and just chip my way through.

  "I couldn't have ever dreamed of getting a start that good, so when I saw an opportunity of getting to first I took it with both hands and from then on it was a case of whoever passed me try and divebomb them straight back.

   "We made a huge step from [Friday] and I was able to keep rhythm at my fastest lap from [Friday], so hats off to the team. They did an unreal job.

  "My rhythm wasn't terrible, and even though the other guys had a bit extra at the end we won the race so I can't complain and I'm really happy."

  GRID CLASSIFICATION

  1. Alex Marquez (Gresini) 1:43.881

  2. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) +0.172

  3. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) +0.858

  4. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha) +2.101

  5. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) +2.355

  6. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) +2.582

  7. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46) +2.707

  8. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) +2.754

  9. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) +2.997

  10. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +3.241

  SPRINT RESULT

  1. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) 19:56:873

  2. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) +0.072

  3. Luca Marini (Mooney VR46) +0.877

  4. Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha) +2.354

  5. Alex Marquez (Gresini) +2.462

  6. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) +2.537

  7. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) +2.643

  8. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) +3.754

  9. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) +4.856

  10. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) +5.143

  CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

  1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) 41

  2. Maverick Vinales (Aprilia) 28

  3. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46) 25

  4. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM) 22

  5. Alex Marquez (Gresini) 17

  6. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) 15

  7. Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM) 15

  8. Jorge Martin (Pramac Racing) 11

  9. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia) 11

  10. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha) 9

• Hamilton unsure of Mercedes' Sunday ceiling after Melbourne qualifying boost

  Lewis Hamilton suspects Mercedes' sensational Saturday in Melbourne may not be achievable at other tracks and is still unsure if he and George Russell can fight to win the Australian Grand Prix.

  Mercedes drivers and officials had been pessimistic in their forecasts for the season prior to qualifying in this week's third race.

  But Russell secured a place on the front row alongside Max Verstappen, with Hamilton qualifying third-fastest to put the Silver Arrows in a great position to attack Red Bull's world champion.

  "I'm a little bit surprised; maybe they are also a little bit surprised," Verstappen said in Saturday's press conference. "But I guess it's a good thing."

  It is certainly a good thing for Mercedes, although Hamilton is not convinced this means all their issues have gone away.

  "I think it's perhaps track-specific," he said, "but I think ultimately there's no one in the team that's had their heads down, in terms of giving up.

  "Everyone's been working incredibly hard to try to squeeze the most out of what we currently have."

  Verstappen had not previously qualified on pole in Melbourne, where he is still waiting for his first win.

  Hamilton has a joint-record eight poles at this event, winning twice, and added: "I think this gives everyone in the team a boost and a glimpse of hope and this will spur everyone on and will inspire everyone to continue to push.

  "We know that if we can just bring a little bit of performance, we can close the gap to the front. Still, there are going to be places where the gap is a lot bigger."

  Russell did not entirely concur, countering: "For sure, we maximised the job, no doubt about it, but we had a good qualifying last week in Jeddah.

  "I didn't put my lap together in the last run in Jeddah and was only a tenth off P3.

  "So no, I don't think it's necessarily track-specific. I do think we're making some improvement with the understanding of the car."

  But Hamilton and Russell were in agreement that Red Bull, even with Sergio Perez encountering issues and failing to make it out of Q1, remain the team to beat.

  Russell said: "I do still think Red Bull are a class ahead of everybody else.

  "For sure Lewis and I got the most out of it today, [but] by the sounds of what Max is saying, there was probably still a little bit more in the locker.

  "And we're talking that three-tenths is a little bit – normally, they're a second ahead; now, they're three-tenths ahead – that's still a huge amount in the world of F1."

  If only for this weekend, though, can Mercedes challenge Red Bull for the top step of the podium? Hamilton still does not know.

  "I haven't even done a long run," he explained. "So tomorrow, going into the race, will be the first time I do so.

  "And I've not seen where we tally up compared to them. We have to expect they're going to be a quarter of a second, half a second, at least, quicker than us.

  "But maybe in the tow, maybe we can just about hold on; maybe the fact that there's two of us and only one Red Bull, maybe with strategy, maybe we can apply some pressure to them. So, we'll see."