Melbourne: Former World Champion Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus registered his 20th Grand Prix win at the Australian Grand Prix at here on Sunday. Spaniard Fernando Alonso of Ferarri, who finished at second position, was followed across the line by the Red Bull drive and triple world champion Sebastian Vettel after an electrifying race at Albert Park.
Raikkonen played his tactics really well and made just two pit stops instead of the three which made the race quite exciting. Leader of the race kept on changing and the light shower at halfway mark turned out to be a decisive factor.
Raikonnen, who had been the world champion in the year 2007, made the most of a tactical race, in which teams followed different tyre strategies, taking the chequered flag at the Albert Park circuit 12.451 seconds ahead of Alonso.
“OK Kimi, an absolutely fantastic job,” his race engineer told him over the team radio, while Raikkonen replied: “Thanks everybody, I told you that the car is good. Thanks everybody, great job.”
Vettel, who began on pole after the delayed qualifying earlier in the day, could not carry his dominance at the circuit, while his teammate Mark Webber fell back after a poor start from second on the grid. Meanwhile Alonso’s teammate Felipe Massa finished fourth in an encouraging performance by Ferrari while Lewis Hamilton in his first drive for Mercedes was fifth.
Mark Webber was sixth ahead of Force India’s Adrian Sutil who had led for two spells. Suiil’s teammate Paul di Resta, McLaren’s Jenson Button and Lotus driver Romain Grosjean completed the top 10 line-up.
Hamilton’s teammate Nico Rosberg retired with an electronic problem close to the halfway stage.
F1 will now now head to Malaysia for the second race of the season.
