Engine failure ends Lewis Hamilton’s nightmare Australian GP weekend

Lewis Hamilton’s nightmare weekend at the F1 Australian Grand Prix has come to an end with a suspected engine failure.

The seven-time world champion had been running just outside of the top-10 in Melbourne when he suddenly slowed on the back straight, reporting his power unit had given up.

Hamilton ground to a halt in the final sector on Lap 17, resulting in the deployment of the Virtual Safety Car while marshals recovered his stricken Mercedes.

It has been a weekend to forget to Hamilton, who suffered his worst qualifying at Albert Park since 2010 with a shock Q2 elimination after only managing a time good enough for 11th on the grid.

Hamilton joins former title rival Max Verstappen on the sidelines in what has been a dramatic start to the Australian Grand Prix.

Reigning world champion Verstappen was forced into retirement on Lap 4 when his Red Bull RB20 developed a mechanical failure.

The pair of dramatic DNFs have blown the race wide open, with Carlos Sainz currently heading a Ferrari 1-2 ahead of Charles Leclerc.