2015 AUSTRALIAN GP: LEWIS HAMILTON MAKES HISTORY

Lewis Hamilton put in a controlled drive to win the opening round of the 2015 Formula One World Championship, finishing just over a second ahead of team-mate Nico Rosberg, who handed Mercedes a dominant first one-two finish of the season. Sebastian Vettel finished third, 33 seconds behind the Mercedes drivers, to hand Ferrari its first podium finish since Hungary last year and claimed his first appearance on the podium since Japan 2014.

Race day began in eventful style, as just an hour before the race Valtteri Bottas was ruled out, the Finn being deemed unfit to race due to a back injury sustained in qualifying. Williams reported that Bottas had suffered has a very small tear in the annular part of a disc in his lower back and FIA official ruled that he should not start. The incidents mounted in the build up to the start when the McLaren of Kevin Magnussen and the Red Bull of Daniil Kvyat expired on the way to the grid.

Rosberg kept Hamilton honest, pushing to the last to finish just over a second behind the world champion, who took his 34th career win. With Vettel third, Massa took fourth ahead of compatriot Nasr, while Ricciardo salvaged some pride for Red Bull Racing with sixth place ahead of Hulkenberg. Sainz tried to cling on to eighth place but his tyres were deteriorating quickly and on lap 56 he was passed by Ericsson. Perez took the final point on offer, while Jenson Button, the last finisher, completed a race distance for Honda-powered McLaren in 11th place.

2015 Australian Grand Prx, Albert Park, Melbourne.
58 laps, 307.574km., Weather: Sunny.

Classified:
 P.   Driver             Team            Time     
 1. Lewis Hamilton     Mercedes AMG   1:31:54.067
 2. Nico Rosberg       Mercedes AMG    +    1.360
 3. Sebastian Vettel   Ferrari         +   34.523
 4. Felipe Massa       Williams        +   38.196
 5. Felipe Nasr        Sauber          + 1:35.149
 6. Daniel Ricciardo   Red Bull1       +    1 lap
 7. Nico Hülkenberg    Force India     +    1 lap
 8. Marcus Ericsson    Sauber          +    1 lap
 9. Carlos Sainz Jr    Toro Rosso      +    1 lap
10. Sergio Pérez       Force India     +    1 lap
11. Jenson Button      McLaren         +   2 laps

Fastest lap: L. Hamilton - 1:30.945(2014/1:32.478)

Not Classified:
Driver             Team        On lap             
Kimi Räikkönen     Ferrari        41
Max Verstappen     Toro Rosso     33
Romain Grosjean    Lotus           2
Pastor Maldonado   Lotus           1
Daniil Kvyat       Red Bull   Did not star
Kevin Magnussen    McLaren    Did not star
Valtteri Bottas    Williams     Injured
Will Stevens       Manor     Did not qualify
Roberto Merhi      Manor     Did not qualify

After 1-st Race:
Drivers:                     Constructors:        
1. Lewis Hamilto      25     1. Mercedes AMG   43
2. Nico Rosberg       18     2. Ferrari        15
3. Sebastian Vettel   15     3. Sauber         14
4. Felipe Massa       12     4. Williams       12
5. Felipe Nasr        10     5. Red Bull        8
6. Daniel Ricciardo    8     6. Force India     7
7. Nico Hulkenberg     6     7. Toro Rosso      2
8. Marcus Ericsson     4
9. Carlos Sainz Jr.    2
10. Sergio Perez       1