Angry Verstappen an early retirement from Australian GP in race won by Sainz

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands walks from his car as his mechanics work to put out a fire during the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Barbour,Pool)

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, right, of the Netherlands gestures as he talks with a teammate after retiring from the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Barbour)

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gestures to fans after retiring from the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Barbour,Pool)

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Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz of Spain leads Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands during the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

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Mechanics work to extinguish a fire in Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands’ car during the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Barbour,Pool)

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands prepares for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

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Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain reacts during the drivers parade ahead of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)

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Mecánicos trabajar para apagar las llamas del monoplaza del piloto holandés Max Verstappen en la cuarta vuelta del Gran Premio de Australia el domingo 24 de marzo del 2024. (AP Foto/Scott Barbour,Pool)

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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands walks from his car as it is enveloped in smoke as he retires from the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park, in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, March 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Barbour,Pool)

By STEWART BELL

Updated 9:50 PM UTC, March 24, 2024

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An angry Max Verstappen was an early exit from the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix on Sunday, with the Red Bull driver sustaining a fiery mechanical failure on the fourth lap of the race, enduring his first race retirement since Albert Park in Australia in 2022.

Minutes after his retirement, he was seen on TV coverage of the race in a heated discussion with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

Verstappen had won the first two F1 races of the season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and was on a nine-race winning streak.

“My right rear brake basically stuck on from when the lights went off,” Verstappen said. “The temperatures (in the car) just kept on increasing until the point that it caught fire. They (mechanics) could see what was going on but they don’t know what caused it.”

“We had a lot of good races in a row, I knew that the day would come when you end up having a retirement and unfortunately that day was today.”

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was another early retirement with an engine failure on lap 17.

Verstappen, the three-time F1 world champion, began the race from pole, but was passed by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz on lap two at turn nine. Verstappen kept on the Spaniard’s tail, but just two laps later was spewing smoke from the back of his car, with fire following, forcing his retirement from the race.