Stat Attack: Australia
Michele Merlino interrogates the record books and compiles the vital statistics ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne - the opening round of the 2011 Formula 1 world championship
World champions
Five world champions will start the 2011 season: Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Sebastian Vettel. They have amassed 12 world titles between them, and represent all the title winners since 2000 - except for 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen.
It's only the third time the Formula 1 grid can boast five world champions: the last time was 1970 (John Surtees, Jack Brabham, Graham Hill, Denny Hulme and Jackie Stewart). It happened in 1968 as well, but sadly that count was reduced to four after Jim Clark was killed in an F2 race at Hockenheim (Stewart had yet to win his first title at this point).
Australia personal scorecard
• Sebastian Vettel has always qualified in the top 10 in Melbourne, obtaining pole last year, and he has always beaten his team-mate in qualifying. But he has never finished the Australian Grand Prix. In 2009 he was fighting for a podium finish when he collided with Robert Kubica, while last year he retired with a wheel problem when he was leading. Vettel has won the past two races (Brazil and Abu Dhabi 2010), but has never won three in a row in his career.
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