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Formula 1
Australian GP
2012 Australian Grand Prix The Australian Grand Prix
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So Button gives McLaren a fantastic start to the year, Vettel salvages a strong podium and Hamilton starts the year with good points.
Webber delivers his best ever finish at Albert Park, but problems for Mercedes after a strong weekend and a blinding opening lap, while Ferrari still has a lot of work to do.
This was the 2012 Australian Grand Prix weekend on AUTOSPORT Live. Thanks for your company over the last three days and we will be back with all the action from Malaysia on Friday.
Webber delivers his best ever finish at Albert Park, but problems for Mercedes after a strong weekend and a blinding opening lap, while Ferrari still has a lot of work to do.
This was the 2012 Australian Grand Prix weekend on AUTOSPORT Live. Thanks for your company over the last three days and we will be back with all the action from Malaysia on Friday.
Stick with AUTOSPORT for all the reaction to an eventful Australian Grand Prix.
McLaren celebrates a fine victory, but there is plenty of promise for a competitive season with strong race pace shown by several teams.
Heikki Kovalainen is being investigated for overtaking during the safety car period. Most likely this is connected with overtaking another competitor while the big Mercedes was on track - not during the period where he was allowed through to unlap himself.
The champagne sprays on the podium after a highly eventful race at Albert Park.
Hamilton gets his third-place award but is likely to be somewhat disappointed with the result after starting on pole.
Sebastian Vettel receives his award for second place. This is a strong result for the German after a difficult qualifying session.
Button picks up the winning trophy after a fine drive to victory in the first race of 2012.
The top three drivers walk out onto the podium and God Save the Queen rings out for today's winners - Jenson Button and McLaren.
Six drivers retired from the Australian Grand Prix:
Massa retired in the pits, as did Kovalainen. Petrov ground to a halt on the start-finish straight, causing the only safety car period of the race.
Schumacher had an eventful race as usual and he fell by the wayside after a strong opening stint, while Grosjean and Hulkenberg were involved in early altercations.
Massa retired in the pits, as did Kovalainen. Petrov ground to a halt on the start-finish straight, causing the only safety car period of the race.
Schumacher had an eventful race as usual and he fell by the wayside after a strong opening stint, while Grosjean and Hulkenberg were involved in early altercations.
A delighted Button finally makes it back into parc ferme and begins to celebrate his 13th career victory.
Glock was the final finisher in 14th, with Pic and Senna classified 15th and 16th, but both retired in the pits towards the end of the race.
Maldonado is classified 13th after that heavy smash on the final lap.
Replays show that Maldonado crash was a hefty shunt into the concrete wall as the Williams speared out of a strong sixth place.
Rosberg was clearly struggling with some problem on the last lap as that battle got hairy and trailed over the line in 12th, 17 seconds behind that group.
Perez ended up eighth after a mighty dice on the final lap, from Ricciardo ninth, di Resta 10th and Vergne 11th. The four cars crossed the line together.
Raikkonen ended up seventh after cutting through the final lap carnage.
Alonso salvages fifth for Ferrari ahead of Kobayashi after the exit of Maldonado on the final tour.
Hamilton holds off Webber at the flag, with the Australian taking his best home finish after a battle back from a scrappy first lap.
Vettel grabs second for Red Bull, splitting the McLaren pair thanks to some strong pace and good fortune at the safety car.
A great start from the McLaren man put him into the lead at the first corner and he brings it home in a typically controlled performance.
Jenson Button wins the Australian Grand Prix!
Lap 58: Maldonado has crashed heavily on the final lap!
Lap 58: Perez maintains track position over Rosberg into Turn 3, with Kobayashi close, but ...
Lap 57: Rosberg is now on the tail of Perez ... and behind them Raikkonen tries a move on Kobayashi round the outside at Turn 9 but the Japanese holds onto ninth.
Lap 57: Button sets the fastest lap and is two circuits away from victory in Australia.
Lap 56: Rosberg in eighth has caught up to the back of Perez againso he may just manage an attempt at the Sauber before the end.
Lap 56: Senna is wheeled into the garage and he is out of the race.
Lap 55: Senna pits one more time from 15th place and this is a long stop.
Lap 54: Hamilton has dropped away from Vettel in recent laps and is now coming under pressure from Webber.
Lap 54: So Perez in seventh now has 1.5s over Rosberg, with Kobayashi, Raikkonen, Vergne and Ricciardo all closing up behind.
Lap 53: Five laps remain in the opening grand prix of 2012.
Lap 53: Kobayashi - ever the opportunist - tries to force his way past Rosberg for eighth but cannot complete the move. Perez pulls away from them.
Lap 52: Stalemate between Vettel, Hamilton and Webber for the moment with Button still leading by over three seconds.
Lap 52: Perez in seventh is coming under attack from Rosberg, with Kobayashi ninth and Raikkonen 10th both in close attendance.
Lap 52: Maldonado still has strong pace in his Williams and continues to pile the pressure on Alonso.
Lap 51: Race control has stated that the incident between Massa and Senna will be investigated after the race.
Lap 51: Vergne and Ricciardo are both through on di Resta and they take 11th and 12th positions.
Lap 50: Ricciardo escaped the incident and is 13th. He is closing in on Vergne rather quickly, with di Resta just in front of the pair of them.
By: Emlyn Hughes, Geoff Creighton, Simon Strang
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