Amid all the thrills, spills, chaos and surprises in Melbourne, nothing was quite as shocking as the reigning champions' abysmal start to their title defence.
In theory it should have been McLaren - whose 2007 traumas lingered on through much of the winter - who began 2008 in spluttering form. But instead Lewis Hamilton took a consummate victory from pole position and established a very useful early points lead.
His determined, mature, serenity at the front of the field contrasted sharply with the Ferrari pair's anxious performances.