Reigning world champion Max Verstappen has been forced to retire from the Australian Grand Prix after the right rear of his car caught fire early in the race.

The Dutchman complained that the car was feeling ‘loose’ as he was passed by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz two laps into the race.

By lap five increasing amounts of smoke could be seen coming from the back of his Red Bull as he lost pace and started to drop back through the field.

Verstappen (centre) is pictured getting out of his Red Bull after the pit crew battled flames coming from the right rear brake

At one stage the world champion couldn’t be seen due to the thick smoke coming from the rear of the car after what appears to be a failure of the right rear brake

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz passed the world champion on lap two (pictured) – just before Verstappen said the car was ‘loose’, then added, ‘fire, fire!’ as flames lapped at the rear

Verstappen (pictured waving to the crowd after retiring) later explained that his right rear brake had been ‘stuck on’ right from the start of the race

He was able to nurse the car back into the pits but by that stage flames were emerging from the brake on the right rear wheel after what seemed like a small explosion in that area of the car as he entered pit lane, forcing the team’s mechanics to use fire extinguishers.

Verstappen exited the car with his race over and was soon seen after getting changed out of his racing gear.

‘I just lost the car – really weird,’ he said in the first indication of a problem when he was overtaken by Sainz.

That was followed by him telling the team, ‘I have smoke, blue smoke, fire, fire!’ on lap five as he slowly made his way to pit lane.

After getting out of the car, the 26-year-old shed more light on the cause of his retirement.

‘At the start of the race the right rear brake just stuck on,’ he explained.

‘It was like driving with the handbrake on.’

Lewis Hamilton was also forced to retire on lap 17, using the team radio to inform the Mercedes garage that he’d suffered engine failure.

Lewis Hamilton (pictured chasing Sergio Perez’s Red Bull) was forced out of the race with engine failure on lap 17

Verstappen’s retirement continues a mixed relationship with Albert Park for the three-time world champ, who was forced to retire in the 2022 edition.

Verstappen had won nine straight races, dating back to the Japanese Grand Prix last September.

Victory at Albert Park would have taken him level with his own record, set with his 10 straight wins from Miami to Monza last year.

Verstappen won 19 races last season – the most in F1 history – on his way to a third straight title to completely dominate the rest of the field.

Hamilton, who started 11th after his worst qualifying session at Albert Park since 2010, suffered another disappointing race in his last season with Mercedes before his switch to Ferrari next year.

It was the first time Verstappen and Hamilton – F1’s two most successful drivers of the past decade – had withdrawn from the same race due to mechanical failures.

The Red Bull ace’s exit left Ferrari’s Sainz in the lead, with his teammate Charles Leclerc getting past McLaren’s Lando Norris to make it a one-two for the Italian outfit at the midpoint of the race.