Mercedes racer Russell wiped out from seventh place two laps from the chequered flag in Melbourne while chasing after the Aston Martin driver. He lost the rear axle through Turn 6 to skate over the gravel, hit the Turn 7 wall before bouncing back into the middle of the circuit.
This left the 58-lap contest to end under virtual safety car conditions as Carlos Sainz led Charles Leclerc for a Ferrari 1-2 finish in a race from which Max Verstappen retired with a dramatic right-rear brake fire.
