Two victories and three pole positions into season 2024 and the experts have all but handed the title to defending champion Max Verstappen. Meanwhile, the lawyers have descended on Formula One like never before.
But to the swathes of motorsport fans squeezed into the leafy Albert Park track in Melbourne, these intercontinental ructions meant little. Instead, on this mild Saturday, tens of thousands of them streamed, bobbed and weaved towards the main stage adjacent to the lake.
“Who wants to see Daniel win?” the MC asked, eliciting a mostly underwhelming response for Australian idol Daniel Ricciardo. “Who wants to see Oscar win?” she tried again. A roar for Melbourne local Oscar Piastri erupted from the crowd – sprinkled with more orange than anyw...
[Short citation of 8% of the original article]