Renault Sport Formula 1 Team driver Jolyon Palmer didn’t have the first race of the new season that he had hoped for, qualifying at the back of the grid for the Australian Grand Prix and then suffering a retirement on Sunday due to brake issues.
The Brit, now in his second year of Formula 1, made the best of a bad situation at the start of the race, making up several places in a strong first few laps and being within touching distance of team-mate Nico Hulkenberg and Sahara Force India F1 Team racer Esteban Ocon, who would go on to finish inside the points in tenth.
“I made places at the start despite being on the hardest tyre, my pace was pretty reasonable and I could see Nico and Esteban ahead of me.”
Things started to go wrong for Palmer as the race progressed however, as he complained several times over team radio about brake issues. He carried on with his race, even though the same issue occurred more than once, but eventually, the decision was made to end his race.
“Unfortunately, my brakes stuck on at turn 14. We hoped it was just a glitch, but it happened again so we had no alternative other than to retire.”
