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All 15 cars survive the formation lap and return to the grid to go racing. Here we go... Vettel makes a slow start but finally gets away and gives Kimi a wave as he lets him past for the start of the formation lap. He won't get that treatment again this afternoon. Just two minutes to go before the start of the formation lap. Grid cleared of all people but the mechanics. Meanwhile, we wish Bottas a swift recovery. If you are just joining us, he suffered a very small tear in the annular part of a disc in his lower back during qualifying yesterday and was not passed fit to race. The problem is muscle spasms that coul be incredibly painful - not what you want at 200mph in an F1 car. Both the Red Bull and the McLaren stopped on the out lap to the grid leaving two gaps in 12th place and 17th (although Magnussen was on the very last row). This is not how any of us would have wanted to see the season start, but it just shows the problems McLaren and Red Bull face with their respective power units. Hello and welcome to ESPN's coverage of the Australian Grand Prix. Drama already as Kvyat and Magnussen have failed to make the grid while Bottas was ruled unfit with a back problem. That means just 15 cars are on the grid at the moment for the start of the race. |
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Lap 1 |
Hamilton leads Rosberg through Turn 1. Behind them Kimi gets contact and drops down the field and Maldonado ends up in the wall after getting tangled up with the Ferrari.
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Lap 2 |
Hamilton lines up behind the safety car as Ericsson and Grosjean make early pit stops. Maldonado got a round of applauds for his performance in the press room. Grosjean's Lotus is wheeled back into the pits and out of the race after being very slow off the line. A replay shows Raikkonen and Vettel touched, Sainz then hit Raikkonen who slowed and hit Nasr who got bumped into Maldonado, who came off worst of all. Not really the Lotus driver's fault. |
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Lap 3 |
The safety car will come in on this lap and we'll be racing again. Just 13 cars now and a big opportunity for points for all the drivers here - even Jenson Button! Sainz is up to fifth and Nasr sixth after that messy start - two rookies in very high places. |
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Lap 4 |
Hamilton holds a big lead as we go racing again. Sainz gets caught napping by Nasr and loses a place. Sainz then loses another spot to Ricciardo and has Raikkonen hounding him. Clearly a slow start, maybe he had it in the wrong setting at the restart as he appears to be back up to speed now but has dropped from fifth to seventh. |
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Lap 5 |
Hamilton holds a 2.3s lead as we start the fifth lap. Rosberg holds a 1.4s lead over Massa with Vettel 0.6s off the Williams. |
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Lap 6 |
Sainz may have lost some battery power as he's going backwards, Ricciardo eases past him on the run down to Turn 3. Nasr is up to fifth! |
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Lap 7 |
Hamilton's lead already 2,7s. |
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Lap 8 |
Big train of cars behind Nasr now - Ricciardo, Sainz and Raikkonen all getting close up behind the blue and yellow Sauber. Perez has a moment at Turn 3. Raikkonen dispatching Sainz at Turn 9, Ricciardo is the next man up the road - albeit by eight tenths. |
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Lap 9 |
Ricciardo reports a bit of understeer at the higher speed corners and says his RB11 is a bit nervous at other points of the track. Big, big slide for Vettel going through Turn 4 but he saves it with the panache of a four-time world champion. |
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Lap 10 |
Rosberg has cut the gap out in front to 1.6 seconds - and that drops to 1.4s by the next sector. Problems for Hamilton out in front? Nasr still holding firm ahead of Ricciardo and Raikkonen. |
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Lap 11 |
That gap is down to 1.2s as the Mercs cross the start/finish line. Raikkonen really needs to dispatch Ricciardo and Nasr soon, his lap times are a second down on team-mate Vettel. The Finn has a look around the outside of Turn 3 but isn't close enough to make a move on Ricciardo.
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Lap 12 |
Hamilton has pulled the gap out to 1.7s with a personal best lap. Nasr tells Sauber his soft tyres still feel OK. The two drivers behind on medium tyres. Raikkonen getting closer and closer under braking to that Red Bull but doesn't seem to have the straight line speed he needs - suggesting he picked up some bodywork damage in that Turn 1 fracas. Button and Perez fighting hammer and tong for last position and the 2009 world champion keeps the Force India at bay with some wonderful driving through Turn 9 and 10. "Keep making his life difficult for him Jenson," is the advice from McLaren. |
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Lap 13 |
Still no joy for Raikkonen. Nasr still driving faultlessly in front of these two. Hamilton has turned in three laps quicker than Rosberg and the gap out in front is back over two seconds. Perez spins at Turn 3! He went off there earlier and there's some debris on track - contact with the McLaren of Honda maybe. |
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Lap 14 |
"Checo, do you have any damage?" "No, I don't think so" Replay shows Perez lunge down the inside and Button slamming the door shut. Arguably Button could have given him more room but it's a tight corner. McLaren reminds Button there are only 13 drivers in the race and points could be up for grabs. |
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Lap 15 |
Nasr doing a wonderful job in front of Ricciardo and Raikkonen. Certainly does not look like a rookie out there, very calm. |
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Lap 16 |
Hamilton has resumed normal service out in front, the gap to Rosberg is back to 2.4s. Vettel is 1.6s behind Massa, that battle doesn't look like it's hotting up any time soon. |
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Lap 17 |
Rosberg sets a fastest lap, a 1:32.458 but it's less than a tenth quicker than Hamilton's last effort so the gap doesn't change hugely. Raikkonen pits for another set of soft tyres. Big delay at the left rear for the Finn as he spends 8.7s in the box. Definite damage to that Ferrari. |
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Lap 18 |
Fastest lap from Hamilton in response, a 1:32.148. Nasr is still pumping out quick lap times, his last effort a personal best 1:33.549. |
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Lap 19 |
That slow stop has relegated Raikkonen back to 11th. Nasr has pulled out a gap to Ricciardo, quite a significant one from a few laps ago. What a job from the Brazilian rookie. Raikkonen sets a fastest lap on those fresh softs - 1:31.960. |
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Lap 20 |
The other Sauber of Ericsson seems to be reeling in Force India's Hulkenberg. Ericsson has already stopped for fresh softs so he's reaping the benefits of that. |
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Lap 21 |
The Mercs are trading very similar lap times out there, very little to choose from. Ericsson within half a second of Hulkenberg and getting closer and closer. |
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Lap 22 |
Boom. Just as I say that, Hamilton turns in a corker - half a second quicker than Rosberg - as he sets another fastest lap, a 1:31.940. Massa pits from third for the medium compound tyre. Williams one-stopping, it seems. Massa feeds out behind Ricciardo in seventh. Hulkenberg also pits to free up Ericsson. |
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Lap 23 |
That stop of Massa has put his compatriot and near-namesake Nasr into fourth. Massa needs to quickly dispatch Ricciardo as Vettel has stayed out. This could be the laps that decide the third spot on the podium as Vettel is 23 seconds up the road - he needs another second to be a pit stop clear. |
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Lap 24 |
Massa has a half-hearted attempt past Ricciardo but can't make it stick - it doesn't matter though, as the Red Bull pits and releases the Williams. Big, big lap from Massa now if he wants to stay ahead of Vettel. Vettel's current lap times are up there with the times of the Mercedes drivers. He will pit at the end of this lap. Raikkonen all over the rear mirrors of Ericsson. "Qualifying now, qualifying now, push now," is the message to Massa. They predict he'll fight Vettel at Turn 1. |
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Lap 25 |
Tidy stop from Ferrari and Vettel leaves the pit lane and he's well clear of Massa! Ferrari's gamble works and Vettel has jumped into a podium position here in Australia. Sainz pits but there's a big delay at the left rear! The mechanics are looking for another wheel gun and this is a tragedy for the Spaniard on what has been such a promising debut weekend. He finally gets going but after such a long delay. |
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Lap 26 |
Hamilton pits from the lead. Lovely stop from Mercedes, 3.3s, even though Hamilton seemed to miss his marks completely. Nasr finally pits from fourth. A great stop from Sauber as he takes on fresh medium tyres. He filters in behind his team-mate Ericsson. Raikkonen has dispatched Ericsson and is now closing in on Verstappen up the road. |
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Lap 27 |
In comes Rosberg, our temporary race leader. Another lovely stop, a 2.9s stop for the German, but Hamilton has a comfortable advantage and retains first position. Onus very much on Rosberg now to take the fight to Hamilton. Raikkonen sweeps past Verstappen down the start/finish straight. Verstappen still on the set of mediums he started the race on. Ericsson pits again. Nasr is told he is racing Ricciardo behind him. Verstappen, 17 years old, let's not forget, doing a wonderful job on those old tyres in sixth. He's surely going to pit soon. |
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Lap 28 |
Button has Perez all over his gearbox again and tells McLaren he's starting to struggle with the tyres. Button still aggressively defending the position. He then drops into the pit lane at the end of the lap. Ericsson dives past Perez at Turn 1 for 10th place. He told ESPN in Barcelona his first points finish will feel like a win and he's on course for that this afternoon. |
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Lap 29 |
The gap out in front is 3.5s but Rosberg's last lap shaded two tenths off Hamilton. Hulkenberg has had a quiet race, but he's currently ninth. |
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Lap 30 |
Another charge from Rosberg? The gap out in front now 2.8s. Ericsson is warned he needs to look after his soft compound better because he's going to the end with them. His team-mate, Nasr, is still four seconds ahead of Ricciardo and doing a wonderful job. |
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Lap 31 |
Another personal best from Rosberg and the gap out in front is 2.5s. Vettel's currently lapping quicker than Massa in that battle for third. What an improvement from Ferrari, and Raikkonen is still absolutely flying - he's set another fastest lap, this time a 1:31.585. He's taking huge chunks out of the gap to Massa. |
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Lap 32 |
Hamilton and Rosberg exchange personal best laps out there. 0.07s the difference in their last completions, with Rosberg marginally faster. "Ok Kimi, this is fantastic, pace very good. Race with Massa is still on." Raikkonen receiving praise from Ferrari for the job he's doing out there in fifth. Nasr reeling in Verstappen, who is somehow still keeping his car on the track on 33-lap old medium tyres. Super tyre management from the youngster but he finally brings his car into the pit lane for soft tyres. |
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Lap 33 |
Verstappen feeds out in ninth behind Hulkenberg. He spent 4.4s in the box. Spare a thought for team-mate Sainz, who is languishing down in 12th after that disaster pit stop earlier. Horrible thing to spoil such a strong debut weekend. |
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Lap 34 |
"A lot of smoke in the car!" says Verstappen. Looks like his engine started giving up at Turn 4 and the Dutchman is crawling back to the pits - but he won't make it! He pulls up on the grass. Heartbreaking for Toro Rosso! A great weekend undone in about ten laps. Lots of questions will be asked of Renault after this weekend, you feel. |
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Lap 35 |
Yellow flags out as Verstappen hops out of his car. He trudges back to the pit lane and that's not how anyone wanted to see his debut finish today. Great shot of Jos Verstappen in the garage looking rather peeved when his son's engine failed. |
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Lap 36 |
Sainz all over the back of Perez and he gets so close through Turns 3 and 4 but can't make a move stick. This is the battle for the final points finish of the grand prix.
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Lap 37 |
Sainz thinks about a move into Turn 1 but tucks back in behind the Force India. Out in front, Rosberg sets another fastest lap, a 1:31.355. He's 1.5s behind team-mate Hamilton. Would be fascinated to see fuel consumption now but it seems Hamilton has struggled on these medium tyres this weekend. |
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Lap 38 |
That from Tom Webb, Caterham's former media man. Rosberg advised to save some fuel for a charge at the end of the race. |
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Lap 39 |
Hamilton responds from the renewed pressure from Rosberg with a new fastest lap, a 1:31.134. Ricciardo is told he is quicker than Nasr in the battle for sixth. "Come on, let's 'av him." Rosberg seems to be doubting whether he can get to the end of the race on this current set of tyres. |
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Lap 40 |
Perez pits from 11th. There's a delay on the front right and Perez gets away after 7.1s in the box. This has been a sloppy first grand prix up and down the pit lane, really. |
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Lap 41 |
Despite his complaints, Rosberg's last lap was a tenth quicker than Hamilton's. The gap still 2.4s though so it's do or die time if Rosberg wants to win this race.
Raikkonen pits and takes on the soft compound tyre. He feeds back out well in front of the battle for sixth between Nasr and Ricciardo. But wait, Raikkonen is going slowly at Turn 4! He's now stopped at Turn 4 and his engine is off. The Finn is out of the grand prix. |
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Lap 42 |
Oh dear, Ferrari. As he leaves the pits the man on the left rear man waves his arms around - that tyre wasn't on properly and the pit mechanics have cost Raikkonen a grand prix finish today. Well, now only one man will finish out of the points in this race.
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Lap 43 |
Rosberg is back within two seconds of Hamilton. Nasr holding firm with Ricciardo all over his rear mirrors. Button loses tenth to Perez and is currently the only man out of the points. |
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Lap 44 |
A personal best from Rosberg shaves the gap out in front to 1.6s. The stewards are now investigating Ferrari and Raikkonen for an unsafe release, so he could be in for a penalty in Malaysia. His team-mate is doing a stellar job but Ericsson has a big, big lock-up in the other car, running wide across the grass at Turn 6 and that will have done some damage. Sauber tells him to box immediately. |
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Lap 45 |
I would guess Hamilton was held up in traffic before because he's now eased the gap out to 2.2s again. Is Massa starting to chip away at Vettel? He's just taken three tenths out of him but has ten laps to cut three seconds. Vettel seems to be fuel saving and there could be a battle at the end of the race. |
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Lap 46 |
Massa has also saved a bit more fuel than Vettel. He's just posted a personal best lap and has half a kilo extra fuel in his tank as an added bonus.
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Lap 47 |
For those wondering, Vettel is 28 seconds behind the leader. That's an almighty gap between three cars. Ricciardo has dropped way back on Nasr's Sauber, he's about three seconds back. Is he saving something for a late charge? |
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Lap 48 |
A fastest lap from Rosberg, a 1;31.092. The gap is 1.8s. I would imagine Hamilton has been managing everything pretty well out in front, however.
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Lap 49 |
Sainz is just trying to get his Toro Rosso to the finish on those old tyres. Ericsson appears to be catchin him, while Perez is told he needs to be faster if he wants to catch and pass him too. Nasr now 4.2s ahead of Ricciardo. Massively impressed with Nasr today, he's been the driver of the day for me so far. Raikkonen is back in the Ferrari garage and talking to his engineers. He looks a bit stern, but then when doesn't he? |
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Lap 50 |
Race leader Hamilton puts in another fastest lap, a 1:31.023. He seems in perfect control out there. Button reporting that downshifts are a "big problem, big problem". If McLaren can finish and another car retires ahead, it's a point. Massa 2.5s behind Vettel but is he running out of laps? |
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Lap 51 |
James Warren says: "Money saved by restricting testing is frittered away with three cars not turning a competitive lap !!! What sort of economics is that???" Fair point. Not F1's finest hour.. If I were one of the smaller teams, though, next year I would target the first race of the year for some points. Everyone is still getting up to speed and it's clear there are gremlins up and down the paddock. |
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Lap 52 |
Hamilton closing in on a second Australian Grand Prix victory. Massa seems to have lost a bit of ground on Vettel, I can't see him catching Vettel in the next five laps. |
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Lap 53 |
Well, Rosberg has now cut the gap to 1.5s, but I imagine it's due to the lapped car of Button giving Rosberg a bit of DRS tow. "How is the other car on fuel?" "Nico, can't give information." Rosberg not getting the feedback he wants. He's used marginally more fuel than Hamilton, but very marginally. K.Kray says: "Merc is going to win the Championship again….The season is over after the first race!" Siddhesh says: "Looks like all the problems we were expecting in 2014's season opener have come in 2015!" |
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Lap 54 |
Ericsson now right behind Sainz's Toro Rosso. This could be the only significant battle we get in these closing laps. Devasish says: "This is f1???? No for sure...." |
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Lap 55 |
Ericsson has a big wobble coming through the final corner. He needs to be careful not to put this thing in the wall as he's on for his first points finish. That probably cost him a run on Sainz but he'll have to do it all again. Pavan says: "Been watching F1 since 14 yrs.This has been the most boring and revolting and repulsive Grand prix I've ever watched." Ericsson dives down the inside of Turn 11. I wonder what Giedo van der Garde is thinking right now? "Well done buddy, push!" comes the call from Ericsson's pit wall. |
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Lap 56 |
The gap is two seconds out in front. |
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Lap 57 |
Massa is losing sight of Vettel out in front. Button is still on for a finish - crucially, it will be his first race distance. Hamilton has started his penultimate lap. |
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Lap 58 |
Hamilton begins the final lap with 1.8s in his pocket. He's got Nasr up ahead to lap but it will take something monumental to prevent him winning now. Hamilton kicks off his title defence in perfect style with a rather routine win. Rosberg second. Vettel kicks off his Ferrari career with a podium! Good drive from the German but the team will be kicking itself Raikkonen was not there as well. Nasr, the driver of the day, finishes fifth. Dave says: "I've been watching F1 for 40 years: I've seen much worse attrition, and much more boring races. Suck it up and look at the history!" "Regazzi, Forza Ferrari!" says Vettel to his pit wall. Shame we never got to see a fight between the pair of them. |
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Vettel laps up the attention of Ferrari's mechanics in parc ferme after that podium. Rosberg looks a little bemused - he must be thinking "Not again". He still has a big gap to cut to Hamilton on Sundays and the world champion looks like he's found another level. It's none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger conducting the interviews. This is a bit surreal. Schwarzenegger and Hamilton share an "I'll be back" before the end of the interview segment and that seems like a good place to round off our live coverage. Reaction to follow on ESPN so please do stay with us today and please join us again for Malaysia in two weeks! Hamilton pumps his fists as he walks out on the podium for the national anthems. This is Ferrari's first podium since Hungary last year, by the way. |
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Safety car to help clear the stricken Lotus. Maldonado's first race lasts just one and half corners.
