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Lotus' Kimi wins in Australia
Source: Agencies |
March 18, 2013, Monday
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KIMI Raikkonen cruised to victory at the Australian Grand Prix yesterday while Formula One's title favorites labored behind him, announcing Lotus as a genuine championship contender in the season ahead.
Raikkonen took the lead for good on lap 43 of 58 in a race which had seven different leaders, and had the luxury of driving conservatively in the closing laps while Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel scrambled in vain to keep up in Melbourne.
The Finn needed only two pit stops compared to three stops for each of the six men who followed in his wake, and he became the 15th man in F1 history to record 20 grand prix wins.
"Our plan was to do two stops and though it's always difficult in the first races to know when to stop and not go too early, we got it exactly right," Raikkonen said.
Alonso looked like a winning chance when he trailed Raikkonen by 6.2 seconds with 12 laps to go, but could not make up ground. Still he was satisfied with where Ferrari stands compared to the poor early races last season.
"I am extremely happy," Alonso said. "We had a difficult start of season two years ago and last year, too, and this year is very different. We feel much more comfortable, the car is responding well and we have a good season ahead of us."
Pole sitter and three-time reigning world champion Vettel was third. He was forced to pit after just seven laps due to worn super-soft tires and never threatened thereafter.
"The first few laps were okay but then the tires were falling apart and we could not go as far as other people," the German said.
"We have to admit sometimes that other people are faster than us but it's a long season so we have some good points to start with and we have no reason to be disappointed."
Ferrari's Felipe Massa was fourth in a performance that indicated he had carried the strong form of late 2012 into the new campaign.
Briton Lewis Hamilton was fifth in his first race for Mercedes, having to ditch his plans for a two-stopper and switch to three because of tire degradation.
Mark Webber of Red Bull was sixth. The Australian local favorite qualified second yesterday morning -- qualifying was postponed from Saturday due to heavy rain - but yet again made one of his frustrating slow starts off the line, was seventh after lap one, and still has not finished on the podium in his home race in 12 attempts.
Force India pair Adrian Sutil - who twice led the race and was the man overtaken by Raikkonen for the lead -- faded to seventh as he struggled on the super-soft tires in the closing stages, and finished ahead of teammate Paul di Resta. McLaren's Jenson Button and Lotus' Romain Grosjean rounded out the top 10.
Raikkonen took the lead for good on lap 43 of 58 in a race which had seven different leaders, and had the luxury of driving conservatively in the closing laps while Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel scrambled in vain to keep up in Melbourne.
The Finn needed only two pit stops compared to three stops for each of the six men who followed in his wake, and he became the 15th man in F1 history to record 20 grand prix wins.
"Our plan was to do two stops and though it's always difficult in the first races to know when to stop and not go too early, we got it exactly right," Raikkonen said.
Alonso looked like a winning chance when he trailed Raikkonen by 6.2 seconds with 12 laps to go, but could not make up ground. Still he was satisfied with where Ferrari stands compared to the poor early races last season.
"I am extremely happy," Alonso said. "We had a difficult start of season two years ago and last year, too, and this year is very different. We feel much more comfortable, the car is responding well and we have a good season ahead of us."
Pole sitter and three-time reigning world champion Vettel was third. He was forced to pit after just seven laps due to worn super-soft tires and never threatened thereafter.
"The first few laps were okay but then the tires were falling apart and we could not go as far as other people," the German said.
"We have to admit sometimes that other people are faster than us but it's a long season so we have some good points to start with and we have no reason to be disappointed."
Ferrari's Felipe Massa was fourth in a performance that indicated he had carried the strong form of late 2012 into the new campaign.
Briton Lewis Hamilton was fifth in his first race for Mercedes, having to ditch his plans for a two-stopper and switch to three because of tire degradation.
Mark Webber of Red Bull was sixth. The Australian local favorite qualified second yesterday morning -- qualifying was postponed from Saturday due to heavy rain - but yet again made one of his frustrating slow starts off the line, was seventh after lap one, and still has not finished on the podium in his home race in 12 attempts.
Force India pair Adrian Sutil - who twice led the race and was the man overtaken by Raikkonen for the lead -- faded to seventh as he struggled on the super-soft tires in the closing stages, and finished ahead of teammate Paul di Resta. McLaren's Jenson Button and Lotus' Romain Grosjean rounded out the top 10.
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