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Rosberg wins, pain for Ricciardo
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Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg won the Formula One season-opening Australian Grand Prix yesterday after pole sitter Lewis Hamilton and world champion Sebastian Vettel retired early with mechanical failures.
Vettel’s Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified from his sensational second-place finish for breaching a new limit on fuel use.
After a marathon hearing, stewards said that Ricciardo’s Red Bull car was not in compliance with F1 technical regulations and had exceeded the maximum fuel flow, or rate of fuel consumption, of 100kg/h. Red Bull immediately said it would appeal.
Ricciardo’s podium finish was the first of his career, and in his first race with Red Bull, and was also the first achieved by an Australian driver in his home grand prix.
“Inconsistencies with the FIA fuel flow meter have been prevalent all weekend up and down the pit lane,” a Red Bull statement said. “The team and (engine supplier) Renault are confident the fuel supplied to the engine is in full compliance with the regulations.”
The decision means McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen was elevated to second on his debut with his teammate Jenson Button third.
Rosberg started third on the grid and was first to reach turn one, then drove away from the field to eventually win by 24.5 seconds at the Albert Park street circuit. The margin of victory showed why Mercedes is considered a strong favorite to finally win its first constructors’ title this season. “I had an unbelievably quick car today,” said Rosberg. “It was such a pleasure to drive, it’s such a great feeling and I really look forward to the new races.”
Hamilton retired after four laps and Vettel followed a lap later, both with engine failures as their teams, and others, tried to come to grips with the F1’s new V6 turbo hybrid engines.
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso finished fifth in a worryingly uncompetitive performance for the Italian team. Williams driver Valtteri Bottas recovered from losing a wheel early in the race to finish in sixth place; pulling off a succession of impressive passing moves that showed the strong potential of the car. Force India’s Nico Hulkenberg and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen finished seventh and eighth respectively.
(AP)
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