Formula 1:Melbourne results.

For 2008 Melbourne race results click on this
link.

Kimi Raikkonen blitzed the rest of the field by winning the first race of the season in Melbourne.Meanwhile Lewis Hamilton impressed his McLaren team by finishing third and getting a podium finish on his race debut.The double world champion Fernando Alonso just beat the rising UK star to clinch second place after following Hamilton until the final set of pit stops;taking advantage of Hamilton's in-lap being hampered by Sato costing the Brit a crucial second(and second place!).
Raikkonen led from lights to flags to secure victory on his debut for Ferrari,also getting fastest lap(1m25.235s ):a full second quicker than the McLarens of Fernado Alonso and the British ace Lewis Hamilton.This will give McLaren something to think about,and will need to be rectified to stop Ferrari running away with the championship.
Robert Kubica was running a strong 4th after making up a place on his team mate Nick Hiedfield when a gear box problem caused him to retire on lap 36.But it shows that there are great things to come from the Polish ace.(This site will be supporting Robert Kubica throughout the season).
Jenson Button suffered front wing problems having a shocking race, finishing behind his team mate Rubens Barrichello in 15th.Has Jensons ship slung it's moorings and started to sail off without him after seven years in F1?.

One of the scariest moments in the race came when Red Bull driver David Colthard made an audacious move on Alex Wurz into turn one on lap 48;nearly decapitating the Williams driver in the process.Colthard told ITV's Louise Goodman that he misjudged the move,and apologized to Wurz for taking himself and the Austrian driver out of the race.
Americas charismatic Toro Rosso driver Scott Speed crashed out on lap 28 with a tyre blow out saying:" I'm parking up for technical reasons!".(Good old Scott Speed,we like him.)
Local boy Mark Webber finished 13th after having a moment going in the pit's a little to hot and spinning his Red Bull in the pit lane entry;but he finished up facing the rite way round and pointing in the rite direction to continue his stop for fuel and tyres.( luckily for him).

But the star of the show for us is,Lewis Hamilton.Well done mate!!.

1. RAIKKONEN Ferrari 1h25m28.770s
2. ALONSO McLaren +7.2s
3. HAMILTON McLaren +18.5s
4. HEIDFELD BMW +38.7s
5. FISICHELLA Renault +66.4s
6. MASSA Ferrari +66.8s
7. ROSBERG Williams +1 lap
8. SCHUMACHER Toyota +1 lap
9. TRULLI Toyota +1 lap
10. KOVALAINEN Renault +1 lap
11. BARRICHELLO Honda +1 lap
12. SATO Super Aguri +1 lap
13. WEBBER Red Bull +1 lap
14. LIUZZI Toro Rosso +1 lap
15. BUTTON Honda +1 lap
16. DAVIDSON Super Aguri +2 lap
17. SUTIL Spyker +2 lap
R. WURZ Williams +10 laps
R. COULTHARD Red Bull +10 laps
R. KUBICA BMW +22 laps
R. SPEED Toro Rosso +30 laps
R. ALBERS Spyker +48 laps
Fastest Lap: RAIKKONEN 1m25.235s (Lap

The other GP debutant,Heikki Kovalainen didn't fair so well,getting on the wrong side of Renault team boss Flavio Briatore,(not a good idea).Check out the link.