P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen retired early from the Australian Grand Prix and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has confirmed the issue at fault.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner confirmed that Max Verstappen’s retirement from the Australian Grand Prix was due to a brake issue. Verstappen’s RB20 showed smoke and flames, with debris scattered, following an explosion of the carbon-fibre brake shroud. This was Red Bull’s first mechanical failure since the same event two years ago. Horner stated that the brake had been binding from the start of the race, leading to the eventual fire. Verstappen, despite his frustration, dealt graciously with the team, emphasizing the importance of learning from the incident. Red Bull aims to analyze the cause of the failure and move forward, appreciating the importance of lessons learned from the setback.
