On April 10, 2022, Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari the sort of Australian Grand Prix win that leaves very little room for debate. He took pole, led every lap, set the fastest lap and won comfortably at Albert Park, sealing the first grand slam of his Formula 1 career as Ferrari’s strong start to the season turned into a proper statement.
Formula 1’s return to Melbourne already had a sense of occasion. The race had not appeared on the calendar since 2019, and Albert Park arrived in 2022 with circuit changes and plenty of curiosity about how the new generation of cars would behave there. Leclerc answered that quickly enough by being fastest when it mattered, then even faster on Sunday.
His victory was not built on chaos or clever timing. It was built on control. Max Verstappen briefly looked like he might keep Ferrari honest, but his Red Bull retired on lap 39, leaving Leclerc to disappear up the road and win by more than 20 seconds from Sergio Perez, with George Russell third for Mercedes. That margin, and the ease with which Leclerc managed the race, made this feel bigger than a normal early-season win.
The historical footnote gave it even more weight. Ferrari had not scored a grand slam since Fernando Alonso at Singapore in 2010, and this was Leclerc’s first. In the moment, though, the more telling detail was simpler: Melbourne was the first race where he looked fully in charge from start to finish.
FAQ
What made Leclerc’s 2022 Australian Grand Prix win a grand slam?
He took pole position, led every lap, set the fastest lap and won the race.
Who joined Leclerc on the podium in Melbourne?
Sergio Perez finished second and George Russell was third.
Why did the win matter for Ferrari?
It underlined Ferrari’s early 2022 pace and gave the team its first grand slam since 2010.
