Vettel wins opening GP of 2017posted in F126 | 03 | 2017

    SEBASTIAN VETTEL WON the opening race of 2017, controlling the Australian Grand Prix ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren, to seal Ferrari’s first Formula 1 win since Singapore 2015.

    While Hamilton’s new Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas took the final step on the podium, the top five was rounded off by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen and the Red Bull of Max Verstappen.

    Hamilton started the race from pole position for the sixth time, equalling the record set by Ayrton Senna, and led for the opening stint. But four-time world champ Vettel jumped the Mercedes at their only pitstop, as cruised to a comfortable 9.975s victory.

    It was Hamilton who pitted first, but he rejoined the race and found himself tucked up behind the rear of Verstappen’s Red Bull. Unable to pass, this allowed Vettel to pit on lap 23 of 57 and emerge in front of the two drivers before extending his lead ahead of Hamilton to almost 10s.

    Bottas, who suffered a disappointing opening half of the race, rapidly closed what had been a 12s gap to team-mate Hamilton before being instructed to hold station. The Finn crossed the finish line just over a second behind Hamilton.

    Behind the top five, Brazilian Felipe Massa returned from his short-lived retirement to bring his Wiliams home in sixth place, ahead of the Force India of Sergio Perez.

    And while Toro Rosso duo Carlos Sainz and Daniil Kvyat finished eighth and ninth respectively, Perez’s new Force India team-mate Esteban Ocon rounded off the top 10.

    There was frustration and disappointment for local hero Daniel Ricciardo. The Aussie group to a halt on his way to the grid when his Red Bull got stuck in sixth gear; his team had replaced his gearbox overnight after he crashed in Saturday’s qualifying.

    Unable to make the start, Ricciardo eventually joined the race two laps down, but on lap 28 was forced to retire when a fuel-pressure problem caused his car to ground to a halt.

    F1 — Australian Grand Prix, Melbourne (Result):

    1. Sebastian Vettel GER Ferrari - Ferrari 57 laps

    2. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes - Mercedes +9.975s

    3. Valtteri Bottas FIN Mercedes - Mercedes +11.250

    4. Kimi Raikkonen FIN Ferrari - Ferrari +22.393s

    5. Max Verstappen NED Red Bull - TAG +28.827

    6. Felipe Massa BRA Williams - Mercedes +1m 23.386s

    7. Sergio Perez MEX Force India-Mercedes +1 lap

    8. Carlos Sainz ESP Toro Rosso-Renault +1 lap

    9. Daniil Kvyat RUS Toro Rosso-Renault +1 lap

    10. Esteban Ocon FRA Force India-Mercedes +1 lap

    11. Nico Hulkenberg GER Renault - Renault +1 lap

    12. Antonio Giovinazzi ITA Sauber - Ferrari +2 laps

    13. Stoffel Vandoorne BEL McLaren-Honda +2 laps

    Retirements:

    14. Fernando Alonso ESP McLaren-Honda 53 laps completed

    15. Kevin Magnussen DEN Haas-Ferrari 49 laps completed

    16. Lance Stroll CAN Williams - Mercedes 43 laps completed

    17. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull - TAG 28 laps completed

    18. Marcus Ericsson SWE Sauber - Ferrari 23 laps completed

    19. Jolyon Palmer GBR Renault - Renault 18 laps completed

    20. Romain Grosjean FRA Haas-Ferrari 15 laps completed

    Withdrawn:

    Pascal Wehrlein GER Sauber - Ferrari

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    Jim McGill

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