Back to basics

The Australian Grand Prix returned this weekend after a three-year absence.

The Australian Grand Prix has finally made its return after a three-year absence, and even though the circuit isn't exactly a fan favorite, its return to the calendar has sparked a wave of nostalgia. Australia has always marked the start of the season and generated a surge of excitement. This year, it's not the first round, but it marks the start of a series of more “traditional” races—the only exception being Miami—which brings us back to the pre-COVID calendar.

For Haas, this weekend was an opportunity to remember its own roots, as the team was completely out of contention. It also echoed a familiar pattern: every season that American teams have scored points in the first two races, none have managed to add a third. Lance Stroll fell into this trap, making an inexplicable mistake and then blaming his incident on the right-hand turn of the circuit. Even after a penalty and a warning from his engineer, he continued to “zigzag,” as Jacques Villeneuve would say, behavior that simply cannot be tolerated anymore. On the positive side, the return to “normal” worked in favor of Daniel Ricciardo and McLaren, who regained points. Lando Norris finished fifth and Ricciardo sixth, giving the team a much-needed boost.