2015 Australian Grand Prix Sunday - Australian Grand Prix
Live Text
Sort by
That's it for our live coverage from the Formula 1 season-opener, as Mercedes starts 2015 in style.
Thanks for joining us this weekend. Keep an eye on autosport.com for all of the news and reaction from the Melbourne paddock, and we'll see you all again in two weeks for the Malaysian GP.
Thanks for joining us this weekend. Keep an eye on autosport.com for all of the news and reaction from the Melbourne paddock, and we'll see you all again in two weeks for the Malaysian GP.
Schwarzenegger returns to Hamilton, and says: "Let me guess, if I ask you about Malaysia, you will say 'I'll be back!'"
Breaking news
Here's the full report from that race, plus the complete results rundown and the championship standings so far:
Australian GP report: Hamilton beats Rosberg
Australian GP report: Hamilton beats Rosberg
Hamilton/Mercedes/AusGP
Quote
Vettel: "It feels great, it's a big honour to be up here for Ferrari, and I'm very happy to have a great start to the season after a good winter.
"We can be very proud. We have a great car – there is a lot of work ahead of us to beat these [Mercedes] guys."
"We can be very proud. We have a great car – there is a lot of work ahead of us to beat these [Mercedes] guys."
Quote
Rosberg: "It's a nice feeling to be second, it's an awesome start for the team. Lewis has done a fantastic job, he drove like a world champion all weekend. I'll give my maximum and try to beat him all year."
Quote
Hamilton: "It's great to be up here, and we have fantastic fans. I'm very honoured to be up here. [To Schwarzenegger] And I thought you were taller in the Terminator!"
Sauber continues nurturing young talent, as Felipe Nasr scores the best ever debut finish for a Sauber driver with a fifth place.
The man who previously held that record for Sauber was Kimi Raikkonen, who ended up out of the race after a pitstop mistake.
He managed sixth for Sauber in this grand prix in 2002.
The man who previously held that record for Sauber was Kimi Raikkonen, who ended up out of the race after a pitstop mistake.
He managed sixth for Sauber in this grand prix in 2002.
Raikkonen/Ferrari/AusGP
The one and only Arnold Schwarzenegger comes out for the podium interviews. Hamilton is very excited about it, and so are the crowd - chanting "Arnie, Arnie, Arnie!"
Twitter
@RGrosjean: "Shame about today we deserved much better BUT there is a lot of positive ahead with my E23. Looking fwd to the next race."
Mercedes score a 20th consecutive podium with that 1-2 - which will also see them lead the constructors championship leaving Melbourne.
In 2013, it was McLaren leaving Melbourne in the lead of that championship. How times have changed...
In 2013, it was McLaren leaving Melbourne in the lead of that championship. How times have changed...
Twitter
@McLarenF1: Pitwall: "Well done, mate. Not remotely where we want to be but we learned a lot." JB: "Let's keep pushing and we'll see progress." #AusGP
The drivers head out onto the podium, and it's time for the national anthems.
The top three are in the podium room, with Vettel and Rosberg discussing their race as Hamilton stands alone.
Man-hugs all round at Sauber, too, as new signings Nasr and Ericsson both score points for the team that didn't manage a single point in 2014.
Williams apologises to Massa for "losing out" to Vettel in the stops.
Hamilton kneels down at the side of his car and pats the sidepod, while Vettel heads over to the Ferrari mechanics to celebrate his podium in parc ferme. High-fives all round between the Mercedes drivers and their crew as well.
Felipe Nasr and Carlos Sainz become the 62nd and 63rd drivers to score points on their Formula 1 debut.
Kevin Magnussen and Daniil Kvyat - both of whom failed to start this race - managed the feat last year.
Kevin Magnussen and Daniil Kvyat - both of whom failed to start this race - managed the feat last year.
Edd Straw: "Given that Force India managed only three days of pre-season testing, to have both cars in the points is a good effort. Attrition was a big help, but any points gathered in the early races of the season have to be seen as a bonus, so Hulkenberg's seventh place and Perez's 10th will be very welcome."
"Nice try Nico, good effort, good effort".
"Forza Ferrari!" calls Vettel over the radio.
Retirements: Raikkonen, Verstappen, Grosjean, Maldonado.
Didn't start: Kvyat, Magnussen, Bottas.
Didn't start: Kvyat, Magnussen, Bottas.
Hamilton thanks the team for the excellent car, and Paddy Lowe tells him "That is the 30th Silver Arrows victory".
Hamilton becomes the first driver since Sebastian Vettel in 2010/11 to win the first race of the season - having won the last race of the previous season.
Finishers:
1 Hamilton
2 Rosberg (+1.3s)
3 Vettel (+34.5s)
4 Massa
5 Nasr
6 Ricciardo
7 Hulkenberg
8 Ericsson
9 Sainz
10 Perez
11 Button
1 Hamilton
2 Rosberg (+1.3s)
3 Vettel (+34.5s)
4 Massa
5 Nasr
6 Ricciardo
7 Hulkenberg
8 Ericsson
9 Sainz
10 Perez
11 Button
Nasr sweeps over to the pitwall in a little celebration as he claims fifth.
Edd Straw: "McLaren-Honda and Button finishing 11th in a race that promised points will seem very disappointing. But this is the first time that package has completed a full race distance. That's a big step forward for the partnership."
"Excellent job Lewis - real solid race there, great stuff."
Waiting for the unlapped Nasr to come round to claim that glorious fifth.
Rosberg crosses the line in second, 1.3s adrift.
Behind them, Vettel takes a podium on his Ferrari debut, beating Massa's Williams in a straight fight for third.
Behind them, Vettel takes a podium on his Ferrari debut, beating Massa's Williams in a straight fight for third.
Button puts in his best lap on the last one, a 1m33.338s. He finishes the race at least, but is the only non-scorer in 11th.
Checkered flag
Lewis Hamilton wins the 2015 Australian Grand Prix!
Just a few corners left for Hamilton.
Ricciardo has indeed been lapped now.
Rosberg brings the gap down to 1.8s at the start of the final lap.
Two laps to go and Hamilton has pulled out four tenths - his lead is up to 2.6s.
Sainz should be utterly safe from Perez as he is 10.6s clear of the Force India with two laps to go.
Fifth and eighth is a massively encouraging result for Sauber after its 2014 misery and legally-blighted start to 2015.
Vettel appears to have dealt with Massa. Over the last few laps he's extended his advantage by 1.5s, so it's back over four seconds.
Ericsson makes a dive at Turn 13 and it works beautifully, he takes eighth from Sainz with three laps left.
Message from the Mercedes pitwall: "Ignore the dash [display] Lewis, there is an error".
By: AUTOSPORT staff, Lawrence Barretto, Glenn Freeman, Edd Straw, Jack Benyon
Published:
Lap:
