SYDNEY - Max Verstappen will be heavy favourite to make it three wins from three this season as his Red Bull team attempt to put weeks of paddock intrigue behind them at the Australian Grand Prix.
The Dutch three-time world champion emphatically led home teammate Sergio Perez in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, but the celebrations were overshadowed by team disunity and allegations against Christian Horner.
Horner has guided Red Bull to six constructors' and seven drivers' world championships since 2005, including the last three won by Verstappen.
But the star driver's father, the former racer Jos Verstappen, claimed earlier this month that Red Bull faced being "torn apart" if Horner remained in his position.
His son also issued a veiled threat to quit if team adviser Helmut Marko was sidelined in any power struggle.
Horner insisted "it is absolutely fine with Max", but added the caveat that "we are a team and no single individual is bigger than the team".
Intrigue aside, victory in Saudi Arabia was Verstappen's ninth in a row, with more of the same expected at Albert Park, barring any technical hiccups.
"It has been a great start to the year and we don't know the full potential of the car yet, so now we want to keep the momentum going," said the Red Bull ace.
Verstappen won a chaotic race from pole in Australia last year, holding off Hamilton after the grand prix was red-flagged three times, with multiple crashes and just 12 drivers finishing.
It was his maiden win in Australia and Red Bull's first in the country since Sebastian Vettel in 2011.
Perez, in the other Red Bull, is the only driver to get close to Verstappen this year.
The Mexican is determined to keep pressing hard as Ferrari's Charles Leclerc snaps at his heels.
By Martin Parry