The Australian Grand Prix has been suspended by a red flag after a heavy crash for Williams driver Alex Albon.
Albon lost the rear end of his car into Turn 6, with the FIA communicating that the “red flag is due to the amount of gravel and debris on track that needs clearing”.
It was an entertaining start to the afternoon in Melbourne, with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton both passing Max Verstappen on the opening lap.
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Charles Leclerc’s race lasted just three corners before contact with Lance Stroll and sent him into the gravel and out of the grand prix.
A fascinating battle between the top three had been beginning to develop, but the Safety Car interrupted that when Albon spun off and smashed into the barrier.
Russell came into the pits for Mercedes sending him down to seventh, but due to a significant amount of gravel on the racetrack and damage to the wall, the stewards decided to upgrade the stoppage to a red flag.
Hamilton now leads as a result, while Russell has work to do to climb back to the front.
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