Lewis Hamilton has added another record-breaking feat to his belt, becoming the first driver in Formula 1 history to score a podium in 17 consecutive seasons.
The Mercedes driver secured second place at the Albert Park Circuit after a chaotic Grand Prix had seen him trade P1 with his old rival Max Verstappen.
Having started in third place, Hamilton seized P2 on lap one before claiming the lead after his teammate dived into the pitlane under a safety car on lap seven.
When the safety car turned into a red flag, Hamilton found himself out in front but lost the lead to the charging Red Bull in lap 12 with Verstappen powering off into the distance.
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All looked lost for Hamilton’s chance at his first victory since Saudi Arabia 2021 before a red flag came out on lap 55, bringing the whole grid back into the pit lane.
Changing onto softs, Hamilton hoped to have a shot at Verstappen but the Dutchman cut him off with a strong defensive manoeuvre.
The second start ultimately proved irrelevant anyway, as multiple incidents resulted in a third red flag and the gird order returned to what it was before the restart.
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Hamilton holds a number of other records in Formula One, including the most wins (103), pole positions (103) and podium finishes (192). The Brit also shares the record for the most number of world titles with Michael Schumacher, having won his seventh title back in 2020.
With his P2 finish in Australia, Hamilton moves into fourth place in the Drivers’ Standings, ahead of his teammate George Russell, who is down in seventh with 18 points.
Mercedes is in third place in the Constructors’ Championship, with 56 points, far behind Red Bull’s 123 points.