Qualifying… Raikonnen spins and crashes, and Vettel is knocked out in Session 2 (Q2) by mere seconds, Australians going wild as the four-time world champion cannot believe his bad luck. Team mate and local hero Ricciardo qualifies second, in-between the two Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton on pole position, and Nico Rosberg in third position.
LIGHTS OUT! and we’re away here in Australia… a brilliant start to the Grand Prix for Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo and Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg, but his ‘Silver Arrow’ team mate Lewis Hamilton loses two places in a short space of track.
However, F1 veteran and Caterham driver Kamui Kobayashi (aka the ‘Overtaker’) didn’t have a good start, taking out Williams driver Felipe Massa in the first turn. Kobayashi soon tweeted his apologies to the F1 world:
Sorry for messed up it’s just my mistake sorry to Felipe and @CaterhamF1 all member!
— KAMUI KOBAYASHI (@kamui_kobayashi) March 16, 2014
A disappointment for Hamilton soon followed in lap three, when the Briton retired due to a cylinder problem in the power-train. Four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel retired soon after in lap six due to power problems. Valteri Bottas kissed the wall a bit too much on lap ten, causing a left-rear puncture and subsequently the wheel rolling off. However, it was a good race for the Finn who finished in sixth place behind Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso; here’s a highlight from the Finn’s incredible start to the 2014 season:
Probably more impressive was F1 rookie Kevin Magnussen battling for position throughout, eventually coming home on the podium in his first race. Those who are comparing him to Hamilton, who debuted back in 2007, will be looking at Magnussen as the next rookie to watch closely…
Well, what a race… in the end, Rosberg crossed the finish line in 1st, claiming victory in the first race of the new season. Local hero Ricciardo finished second, much to the pleasure of the home fans who cheered in delight, and McLaren and F1 rookie Kevin Magnussen came home on the final spot of the podium in third place. For the full results list, follow this link!
The next race is in Malaysia on March 30; will there be any drama like last year? After their crash in the 2010 Turkish GP where both drivers retired, the ‘Multi-21’ debacle (above & below) happened when Red Bull Racing told their driver and [then] three-time champion Sebastian Vettel not to overtake team mate Mark Webber in the 2013 Malaysian GP.
But Vettel chose to ignore his team’s wishes and took the risk, much to the annoyance of Webber and the team. Vettel initially told the press that he was racing for the win, but it was his immaturity and greediness that led Webber to reconsider his future in Formula 1.
So, what a way to start the season… as the sun sets in Albert Park, Rosberg enjoys a fantastic start to the season, while Hamilton can only wish for a better race in Malaysia. The new season continues to surprise us…
Chris K.
KPH car blog 