Australian GP red-flagged after Albon crash

The Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix has been red-flagged on Lap 8 following a crash for Alex Albon.

The Thai driver had been running sixth when he lost the rear of his Williams and crashed into the barriers at the Turn 6/Turn 7 complex at Albert Park.

Albon hopped out of the car under his own power, but the race was still stopped due to the extent of gravel and debris which needs to be cleared from the track.

Lewis Hamilton currently leads after his Mercedes team-mate George Russell pitted from first position just after the Safety Car was called.

The race is due to restart at 15:33 local time/AEST/UTC+10, 16 minutes after the red flag was called.

Albon is the second retirement from the race, after Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari was tagged by Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin in, coincidentally, the battle for sixth position on Lap 1.

Leclerc became stuck in the gravel trap at Turn 3 after he was sent spinning, but stewards decided that no further action should be taken.

As it stands, Hamilton leads from pole-sitter Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Stroll, and Pierre Gasly (Alpine), with the top four on medium tyres and the latter on softs.

Nico Hulkenberg (Haas, mediums) is sixth, with Russell having resumed in seventh and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in 11th following their stops to switch from mediums to hards under the second Safety Car period of the afternoon.

UPDATE: Pit lane reopens at 15:33 local time, race restarts from standing start