The highly anticipated 2022 Heineken Australian Grand Prix hit fever pitch on Sunday afternoon as thousands of fans flocked to Albert Park for their F1 fix.
Charles Leclerc was looking to add a second title to his trophy cabinet this year while all eyes were on Aussie favourite, Daniel Ricciardo, who started from seventh for McLaren.
A challenging weekend for Ferrari's Carlos Sainz went from bad to worse only moment after lights out, with the Spaniard forced to retire after locking up in the sand.
The early stages of the race saw Leclerc maintain his advantage after securing pole in Q3 on Saturday.
The big movers in the early stages proved to be Mercedes with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell overtaking McLaren's Lando Norris.
It soon all came unstuck for reigning champion, Max Verstappen, with his Red Bull forced into retirement after it began omitting strange liquids. This is the second time in the three races so far that the Dutchman was unable to finish.
His early retirement paved the way for the rest of the field with Norris and Ricciardo moving up into fifth and sixth respectively.
Red Bull's Sergio Perez finished second while Russell was able to finish above Hamilton yet again after he finished third to register his second podium finish.
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Watch: 2022 Heineken Australian Grand Prix Wrap
However, the real hero of the day was Leclerc who yet again showcased his talent with a near perfect drive that saw him remain in control for the entire 58 laps.
The Monegasque driver's win at Albert Park tops off a hugely profitable start to the 2022 campaign that has already seen him win in Bahrain before claiming second in Saudi Arabia.
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Ferrari's win at Albert Park sure went down well with the fans however it was not all smiles for the Italian constructors with Sainz's early retirement a cause for concern.
Sainz switches places with Russell on the Drivers' Championship while it turned out to be a great afternoon for Williams as they posted their first point of the season courtesy of Alex Albon's 10th placed finish.
Gallery: Best photos from 2022 Heineken Australian Grand Prix - Race Day
Watch exclusive 2022 Heineken Australian Grand Prix interviews on 10 play
