Melbourne: Nico Rosberg opened Formula One’s new era with a dominant victory at the Australian Grand Prix yesterday as world champion Sebastian Vettel and pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton were early casualties.
Rosberg, whose Mercedes team have come out strongest with the sport’s new hybrid technology, led from start to finish and took the chequered flag 24.5 seconds ahead of Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo in his Red Bull debut.
And there was a brilliant third place in his Formula One debut for McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen, 21, who became the first Danish driver ever to reach the podium. McLaren’s Jenson Button and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso of Ferrari finished fourth and fifth, ahead of Williams’ Valtteri Bottas, Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari.
But there was drama long after the race ended, when governing body the FIA announced that Ricciardo had been disqualified for breaking fuel regulations. That meant Magnussen was handed second place and Button took third.
Red Bull said they had notified the FIA immediately of their intention to appeal. “Inconsistencies with the FIA fuel flow meter have been prevalent all weekend up and down the pit lane,” the team said. “The Team and Renault are confident the fuel supplied to the engine is in full compliance with the regulations.”
There was also disasters for Vettel, the four-time defending world champion, and Mercedes’ 2008 winner Hamilton, who both retired early as this year’s widespread mechanical changes took their toll.
Formula One has switched to quieter, turbocharged 1.6-litre V6 engines this year with hybrid components that will help them to keep within a newly introduced fuel cap of 100 kilos (about 135 litres).
‘Really quick’
At the start, Rosberg swept to the front from third off the grid and he safely held Ricciardo at bay by 24.5 seconds to give Mercedes the first win of the season.
“I took off from the start like a Silver Arrow and after that the car was really quick today,” said Rosberg, whose father, Keke, won the 1982 world championship.
“The whole team did such a good job on it. It was a really good engine, not much problem with fuel consumption and the reliability was great.
“It was such a reward for all the team’s hard work to dominate in such a way in the first race of the season.”
It was Rosberg’s fourth GP win and his first since Silverstone last year.
But while Mercedes celebrated Rosberg’s win, they lost race favourite Hamilton on lap four lap due to a lack of power. Vettel went out shortly afterwards in his first retirement since last year’s British GP.
Denmark’s Magnussen got on the podium in his first GP race for McLaren, who failed to finish in the top three all last season.
“I just can’t believe it. It’s not a win but it definitely feels like it and the team has been coming off a difficult season and they’ve made this rookie feel really comfortable,” Magnussen said.
Fourteen cars of the 22 finished the race, which had its hair-raising moments on the opening lap. Felipe Massa and Kamui Kobayashi came off together at the first bend and were out of the race, while Vettel was slowly away and struck trouble at the rear of the field.
The Mercedes team told Hamilton he needed to retire on the second lap, but quickly amended the message to “stay out” on the track. But Hamilton only lasted another lap before he came into the pits and his underpowered car was taken into the team garage with his race over.
