Showing posts with label Sebastian Vettel. Show all posts

Monday, 22 April 2013

Button and Perez are given license to duel as Vettel glides to win Bahrain Grand Prix

That's how you race! Button and Perez are given license to duel as Vettel glides to win

PUBLISHED: 14:40, 21 April 2013 | UPDATED: 00:28, 22 April 2013

My hero of this race was not standing on the top step of the podium but sitting agitatedly on the pit wall with a pair of headphones on his head.

To Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, a commanding win in the Bahrain Grand Prix and a 10-point lead in the World Championship. But to McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, laudation for profoundly standing up for true sport. His valiant contribution came halfway through the race when his two drivers, Jenson Button and Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez, were locked in an epic duel on the edge of perdition.

Button skilfully passed Perez, who soon clipped his team-mate’s car as he battled back. ‘He just hit me up the back,’ shouted Button down the radio. ‘Calm him down.’ But a few minutes later they were clashing again. Their wheels appeared to touch. Button, though annoyed by what he perceived as the over-enthusiasm of his adversary, held off the challenge manfully.

Happy days: Sebastian Vettel celebrates his victory in Bahrain

Same old story: Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean were in the top three in Bahrain again

What could Whitmarsh have done in these breathless encounters?

The easy option was to intervene with an order to stop racing each other and instead get the cars home without a scratch on them, the points safely accumulated.

But as he explained afterwards: ‘That is not the way we go racing, and you can’t change your philosophy halfway through a race.’

So he acted in keeping with the traditions of McLaren and, I believe, consistently with the best interests of motor racing.

Another victory: All eyes were on Vettel after he coasted to a fine win in Bahrain

Since the Malaysian Grand Prix last month, when Red Bull team principal Christian Horner tried unsuccessfully to stop Vettel racing against Mark Webber for the victory, a debate over the validity of team orders has raged.

Yesterday, it was the decision taken by Whitmarsh — a silver-haired former British Aerospace engineer rather than a man-and-boy racer — that made the most eloquent case on behalf of those who cherish hard, fast, furious, though fair, competition all the way to the chequered flag.

What Whitmarsh allowed to continue was perhaps the most captivating cameo of a race sprinkled with incident, if devoid of a narrative by the infuriating number of pit-stops brought about by the increasing importance of tyre strategy.

Tussle: Jenson Button and Sergio Perez made contact as they raced in Bahrain

Duel: Button asked his team to calm Perez down after the Mexican clipped his team-mate from behind

Did Perez, new to the team and aged just 23, overstep the mark?

Whitmarsh thought so just once, when he clipped Button. It was a fair assessment, and one he made clear to his gung-ho driver within minutes of the end of the race.

Button was stronger in his rebuke — and, even if he was a little too censorious, we must listen to him because he was in the cockpit travelling at 185mph.

‘The racing was great out there,’ he said. ‘The only person that wasn’t was Checo. He was too aggressive, I would say.

‘At that speed, you don’t expect your team-mate to come alongside you and bang wheels. It was a bit of a surprise, and I’m probably not the only one that feels like that. That’s something you do in karting; normally you grow out of it.’

Leader of the pack: Vettel took early control of the Bahrain Grand Prix

All action: The drivers charged down to the first corner

The hope is that Perez can yet add a touch more maturity and guile, through personal experience rather than by being programmed by his masters on the pit wall.

The freedom he was afforded yesterday served another, more immediate, purpose. It allowed him to start to establish himself at McLaren, a daunting home with a trophy cabinet they measure by the metre. He proved to himself — and to Whitmarsh, who after the last race in China told him he needed to ‘use his elbows more’ — that he could be a worthy rival to Button, the 2009 world champion.

‘I think I was as aggressive as he was with me,’ said Perez, a Mexican. ‘But at one or two points, it was probably too much. We could both have ended our races.’

Aussie Rules: Mark Webber pulls away from McLaren driver Button

Train: Nico Rosberg didn't have the pace to stay in the lead and soon had a number of cars waiting to pass him

Perez finished sixth, his best result in four races for the team, and Button 10th after a fourth pit-stop late on. Paul Di Resta was top Brit, fourth in his Force India while Lewis Hamilton came fifth, four places ahead of his Mercedes team-mate and pole-sitter, Nico Rosberg.

Only 28,000 people saw the race, while many more were stuck on roads around the circuit, victims of delays caused by the laborious checkpoint searches to stop anti-regime protestors entering.

The Crown Prince, whose initiative this controversial grand prix was, nonetheless smiled broadly as he took his leave.

He was already thinking of next year’s race, telling me how he hoped it would be run under lights in the gloaming of evening.

How much progress is made in this troubled land over the next 12 months will determine whether Formula One’s return here will again be the subject of a vexed debate. But, last night, Bernie Ecclestone’s travelling family left quietly.

Monday, 25 March 2013

Wound-up Webber considering his F1 career after controversial Vettel victory in Malaysia

Fresh footage shows fuming Webber cutting up Red Bull team-mate Vettel in dangerous move after Malaysia mayhem

By PHIL DUNCAN

PUBLISHED: 13:23, 25 March 2013 | UPDATED: 16:27, 25 March 2013

Dramatic new footage has emerged revealing just how serious the feud is between Red Bull team-mates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber after the Australian pulled a shockingly dangerous maneouvre after the Malaysian Grand Prix had finished.

Red Bull are in turmoil today after Vettel ignored their clear instruction not to challenge Webber at the climax of the race, and the German was forced to issue an apology for undermining the order which has left his colleague considering his Formula One future.

VIDEO: Scroll down to watch the astonishing footage

Chequered flag: Sebastian Vettel slows down after crossing the finishing line in Malaysia

Who's that coming up? Mark Webber's car zooms into the corner of the camera

Dangerous: Webber steers into the path of Vettel at a furious pace as the German slows down

Best of enemies: Webber then speeds off into the distance leaving Red Bull red-faced

New footage reveals just how angry Webber was in the aftermath of the race as he dangerously cuts across Vettel at high speed to display his fury, only missing his team-mates car by a matter of inches.

Former McLaren driver John Watson, a winner of five grands prix, believes Red Bull must take immediate action against their three-time world champion.

‘The question is, what are the team going to do to sanction Sebastian Vettel? And the only solution I would find is suspending him for next grand prix,’ Watson told BBC Radio 4.

Dangerous: Mark Webber (left) swerved in front of Sebastien Vettel to show his anger

Punishment: Sebastian Vettel deserves a one-race ban, claims John Watson

Leading the way: Webber was ahead of Vettel until his team-mate's late surge

VIDEO: Watch Webber's dangerous move

Out of options: Watson says a fine would do nothing and removing the points is not viable

‘You can’t take the points away from him and give them to Mark Webber, a fine would be irrelevant, so the only purposeful way to bring him to book is to say “you will stand out one race”.’

‘I know that if other drivers in other teams disobeyed a team order they would be suspended or even fired.’

Red Bull cancelled their victory photo in the aftermath of yesterday’s controversy while it has been reported that Webber needed to be persuaded to participate in the podium ceremony.

Usurped: Mark Webber would have won the race had Vettel not disobeyed team orders

Watson says Red Bull team principal Christian Horner must take action or risk his position being undermined by Vettel.

‘If Christian Horner doesn’t reassert his authority in the team - because he has been totally subjugated by Sebastian Vettel yesterday - then his position in the team is not exactly the role it is designed to be,’ added Watson.

‘The only conclusion I can reach is that Vettel should be suspended for the next grand prix.’

Wound-up Webber considering his F1 career after controversial Vettel victory in Malaysia

By IAN PARKES, PRESS ASSOCIATION

PUBLISHED: 08:21, 25 March 2013 | UPDATED: 11:59, 25 March 2013

Mark Webber will use the next two weeks to take stock of his Formula One career as the rift with Red Bull team-mate Sebastian Vettel grew increasingly fractious.

Webber was left seething after Vettel deliberately ignored team orders to take the chequered flag at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Leading at the fourth and final pit stop 13 laps from home, Webber and Vettel were under instruction to hold station to the line.

Racing rift: Mark Webber (left) looks unhappy on the podium next to Sebastian Vettel

World champion Vettel, however, tarnished his reputation as he blatantly defied team principal Christian Horner and went on the attack and won the 27th race of his career.

The duo, who previously clashed in the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix when Vettel attacked Webber only to crash out of the race, went wheel to wheel before the 25-year-old German passed the Australian on lap 46.

In the green room, where the top three drivers cool down post race, on the podium and in the main press conference the tension between them was palpable.

Although Vettel apologised it cut no ice with Webber who, when asked whether the situation had made him consider his future with the team and in F1 on the whole, said: 'My mind in the last 15 laps was thinking that many things, yes. Many, many things.'

As to how Webber will respond to an order in the future should he be in a position where he is chasing Vettel for a win, he said: 'That question is not going to be answered right now.

Not a Champagne moment: Webber reluctantly drinks from the bottle while Vettel watches on

'Let's just say there were a lot of things going through my mind in the last 15 laps of the grand prix, lots of different reasons, not just from today but also from the past.

'We'll see what happens. We've got three weeks before the next race (in China on April 14).

'Right now it's very early days, it's very raw, but we need to work out how the team best goes forwards from here.

'That's obviously going to be discussed this week. I will be in Australia on my surfboard, the phone won't be engaged, so let's see what happens.'

Vettel, who had initially shown no remorse for his selfish actions when interviewed on the podium, changed his tune several minutes later when he fielded questions in the press conference.

Leading the way: Webber was ahead of Vettel until his team-mate's late surge

'I can see now he (Webber) is upset, but yeah, I at least want to be honest and stick to the truth and apologise,' said Vettel

'I know it doesn't really help his feelings right now, but I should have behaved better.

'As I've said, I didn't do it deliberately. I didn't realise I had made a mistake. It was only when I came back and saw the team's reaction I realised.'

Horner claims clear-the-air talks were held immediately afterwards, but there is no doubt Webber will head back to his homeland feeling deeply aggrieved and with his mistrust of Vettel exacerbated.

Behind them Mercedes duo Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg were also involved in their own team orders controversy, although in this instance the latter obeyed the call from team boss Ross Brawn.

Fuming: Nico Rosberg wanted to overtake Lewis Hamilton but was told to hold back

Clearly faster than Hamilton in the final stint, Rosberg twice asked to be let by only for Brawn to tell him to hold fire, much to the embarrassment of the Briton who believes he should have given way.

Jenson Button, meanwhile, should have finished at least fifth, only for a pit-stop error by his McLaren crew to ultimately wreck his race from which he retired a few laps from home.

As for Fernando Alonso, the Spaniard crashed out in his Ferrari at the start of lap two after the team opted not to call him into the pits for a new front wing damaged on lap one.

Sunday, 24 March 2013

Webber gives Vettel the finger as world champion IGNORES team orders to win Malaysian Grand Prix

Red Bull in crisis: Webber gives Vettel the finger as world champion IGNORES team orders to win Malaysian Grand Prix

By SIMON CASS

PUBLISHED: 09:42, 24 March 2013 | UPDATED: 16:39, 24 March 2013

Lewis Hamilton was handed preferential treatment over his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg as Sebastian Vettel defied team orders to deny Mark Webber victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

After rain spiced things up at the start, the race boiled down to two titanic struggles between team-mates at Red Bull and Mercedes following four pit stops for the quartet of drivers.

And while Rosberg begrudgingly held station for Hamilton to claim his inaugural podium for his new team, Vettel clearly had no intention of gifting Webber his first win since last year's British Grand Prix.

Scroll down for video

Tension: Sebastian Vettel takes the acclaim of the crowd as his team-mate Mark Webber looks on glumly

The recriminations and repercussions went on long after the chequered flag with Webber inferring Vettel had ignored team orders but that he would be ‘protected’ by the team. Ultimately, the German's victory takes him level with Sir Jackie Stewart on 27 wins.

Vettel left Webber visibly upset, with the Australian driver refusing to acknowledge his team-mate, while the former issued a public apology. Red Bull cancelled their victory photo amid the turmoil.

'I made a big mistake today and we should have stayed in the position,' said Vettel. 'I messed up in that situation and took the lead from Mark and can say now he is upset. Apologies to Mark. The result is there and all I can say is that I didn't do it deliberately.

Vettel insisted he wasn't aware of his error until after the race. 'Mark should have won,' he said, adding that he won't make the mistake again.

Tension: Vettel later apologised to Webber although the Australian appeared reluctant to accept his words

Webber, furious after he had slowed whilst leading to save his tyres and engine, now appears to be considering his role at Red Bull.

WHAT THEY SAID

Sebastien Vettel

(During the race)
'Mark is too slow, get him out of the way.'

(Post-race)
'I think we should have stayed in the positions we were. I didn't ignore (the order to hold station) on purpose, but I messed up in that situation and obviously took the lead.

'I can see now he (Webber) is upset, but yeah, I at least want to be honest and stick to the truth and apologise.'

Mark Webber
(Post-race)
'Seb made his own decision and will have protection, and that's the way it goes.'

Christian Horner - Red Bull Team Principal
(During the race - after Vettel completed a risky overtake on Webber)

'This is silly Seb, come on.'
(Post-race)

'He (Vettel) knew what the communication was, but he chose to ignore it. He put his interests beyond what the team's position was.'

Nico Rosberg

(During the race)

'I think I'm faster (than third-placed Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton), let me pass.'

(from his car at the end of the race after complying with team orders)

'Remember this one.'

(Post-race - explaining latter comment above)

'It was a reminder to them (the team bosses) to remember that I played the game.'

Ross Brawn - Mercedes Team Principal
(During the race - in response to Rosberg suggesting he was quicker than Hamilton)

'Negative Nico, negative. Lewis' pace is what we are asking him to do. He can go a lot faster as well, so please be in control as well. There is a massive gap behind and nothing to gain in front. I want to bring both cars home.'

Lewis Hamilton

'If I'm honest it's Nico that should be standing here (on the third step of the podium).

'He deserves to be where I am. Obviously the team thought, with the position in the championship, it was logical to stay in the positions we were in.'

'There were a lot of things on my mind for the last 15 laps so we will see if that medicine (of a break) will work,' he said.

'Basically, I got myself into position where we were controlling the race. I did a pretty good situation. I was ready for a sprint to the end and the team rang up and said, "the race pressure is off, look after the tyres. Don't fight each other." I turned the engine down.'

The race-defining moment reached its climax with 12 laps to go, prompting the Red Bull team principal Christian Horner to warn Vettel not to be silly.

Vettel, however was in no mood to give any quarter to his team-mate, and when he finally muscled his way past there was no way back for Webber, who responded with a raised middle finger.

At least Hamilton had the good grace to admit Rosberg should have been on the podium given the pace advantage his team-mate had enjoyed.

'If I am honest Nico should be standing here, he had better pace,' he said. 'I was fuel-saving for a long, long time. But the guys did a great job and I brought it home. I can't say it is the best feeling being up here but racing is racing.'

In a race where the rain is usually a decisive factor, it was the white-hot racing on a dry track which was responsible for the thrilling climax.

The usual shower came around 40 minutes prior to red lights out. But despite conditions clearing for the start, the whole field needed intermediates for the opening laps.

Such tricky conditions can catch out even the best and after getting the drop on team-mate Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso was on the gearbox of pole man Sebastian Vettel.

But the Spaniard could not keep control of his Ferrari and twice tagged the back of the Red Bull, damaging his front wing.

Remarkably, Alonso stayed out for a second lap and, as his speed got up to 200mph down the main straight, he momentarily pitched his Ferrari into the air, before he slewed into the gravel trap and out of the race.

Vettel was the first into the pits at the end of lap five to put on slicks, but the switch was premature as he tumbled through the order, finishing the following lap in seventh place behind McLaren’s Sergio Perez.

But the mistake by Red Bull was not a patch on the clanger by Hamilton. Mercedes appeared to have got the call to bring Hamilton in at the end of lap seven bang on, but amazingly Hamilton pulled into the McLaren box before being waved down the pit lane by the mechanics of his former team.

The blunder cost Hamilton in the region of six seconds and the chance of emerging from the first wave of stops in the lead.

Instead it was Mark Webber, who also pitted at the end of lap seven, emerged in front after the first wave of stops – the Australian benefiting form Hamilton’s embarrassment and Vettel’s premature visit to the garage.

As matters shook down at the head of the field, Jenson Button - who blundered in similar circumstance to Hamilton at the Chinese Grand Prix two years ago - was maintaining the fifth place he had made up on the opening laps having started seventh on the grid.

Webber was back in at the end of lap 19 as Pirelli’s fragile rubber gave out and he was quickly followed by Hamilton, who found the right garage this time, followed by Vettel and Rosberg.

The top three remained Webber, Vettel, Hamilton once the field sorted itself out, although the reigning world champion opted for the softer compound tyre.

But while the second round of stops was plain sailing for the leaders, any hope of Force India building on their good start to the season evaporated in the pits.

Adrian Sutil had already suffered a tardy first stop but when teammate Paul di Resta visited his pit for the second time disaster struck as the team struggled to remove his front left wheel. A hammer was employed to try and fix the issue, but after finally getting the tyre on, Resta was soon back in the garage to retire his car.

Sutil suffered exactly the same problem, and after dropping to last place, the decision was taken to retire the German’s Force India, the first time both their cars have retired since the Japanese Grand Prix in 2010.

Naughty: Webber appeared to give his team-mate the finger after Vettel defied orders

All smiles? Vettel hugs Red Bull chief Adrian Newey after winning in Malaysia

In front: Vettel defied team orders to overtake Webber and set up his first win of the season

Meanwhile, at the front, Vettel was letting his frustration at being stuck behind Webber on softer tyres get the better of him. Speaking into his radio, as Hamilton closed up behind, Vettel moaned: ‘Mark is too slow, get him out of the way.’

Told to be patient, Vettel was handed the chance to do something about his team-mate as he assumed the lead when Webber and Nico Rosberg pitted for a third time, one lap after Hamilton.

But the decision to stay out an extra lap looked to have proved costly as both Webber and Hamilton swept past Vettel as he emerged from the pits following a slightly tardy stop.

And as Hamilton set about chasing down Webber, remarkably, given McLaren’s woes, Button briefly found himself leading the race until disaster struck.

Visiting the pits for the third time, and looking on for a decent points finish, Button fell foul of McLaren’s blundering pit crew yet again. Just as in Silverstone two years’ ago, McLaren released Button without his front-right wheel properly attached, forcing him to grind to a halt in the pit lane.

Early finish: Fernando Alonso damaged his wing and was forced to retire on the second lap

Not happy: Alonso abandoned his car after being forced to call it a day on the second lap

Blunder: Lewis Hamilton drove into the McLaren pit box instead of his own Mercedes team

Shock: Nicole Scherzinger watches as her boyfriend Hamilton drives into the wrong pit box

McLaren mechanics frantically raced to Buttons car and pushed it back to the garage, but despite finally sending him out with four wheels in his wagon, the damage had been done as he returned to the track way down in 14th

The news for Hamilton was not much better as, having burned excess petrol to stay in touch with the Red Bull, the 2008 world champion was told to save fuel. The lack of pace made him a sitting duck to Vettel who regained second place into the first turn at the start of lap 39.

In danger of being passed by Rosberg, Hamilton dived into the pits for a fourth and final time. The move kept him just ahead of his team-mate.

The final stops also set up a titanic struggle between Webber and Vettel for first place. Having pitted one lap later than Vettel, Webber returned to the track a whisker ahead of his team-mate.

A superb battle royale of wheel-to-wheel racing ensued as Hamilton and Rosberg briefly exchanged places further down the track.

Blow: Jenson Button was forced to retire his McLaren on the penultimate lap

Hamilton had far more to worry about form Rosberg to maintain third place as the chequered flag drew ever closer, the German less than a second behind and in DRS range.

Like Vettel, Rosberg came onto the team radio to state: ‘I am so much faster, let me get past.’ ‘Negative’ was the response from Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn.

Back on to the radio came Rosberg: ‘Tell him to speed up a bit, he’s too slow.’ Brawn replied tersely: ‘Please drop back a bit Nico, there is a big gap behind and I want to bring both these cars home.’

The order was accepted as Vettel crossed the line to win accompanied by the message he would have some explaining to do.

Brawn too was left with some explaining to do to a disgruntled Rosberg. ‘We’ll discuss the last bit later,’ said the boss. ‘Remember this one,’ replied his driver.

Thumbs up: Hamilton took the the podium for the first time with Mercedes

Sunday, 17 March 2013

Raikkonen delivers for Lotus Down Under as Flying Finn sees off Alonso while Hamilton finishes fifth on Mercedes debut

By SIMON CASS

PUBLISHED: 07:36, 17 March 2013 | UPDATED: 13:08, 17 March 2013

Kimi Raikkonen produced a stunning drive full of speed and skill at the Australian Grand Prix to take first blood for Lotus in the 2013 Formula One campaign.

The flying Finn made the very best of his team’s decision to run a two stop strategy as the efforts of Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel fell short.

The man who famously told his team ‘leave me alone, I know what I am doing’, during his last win in Abu Dhabi proved he has lost none of his touch as he came home ahead of Alonso in second and pole-sitter Vettel in third.

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Triumphant: Kimi Raikkonen celebrates after winning the first race of the season

1-2-3: Raikkonen (centre) celebrates with second-placed Fernando Alonso (left) and third-placed Sebastian Vettel

Party time: The long wait for F1 fans was over at last as the season kicked off in style

Cruising: Raikkonen drives through the pit lane after driving the fastest lap of the race and securing victory

The win means Raikkonen has now scored points in 18 consecutive races.

Further down the field it was a solid afternoon’s work for Lewis Hamilton on his debut for Mercedes, the 28-year-bringing his car home in fifth to concluded a weekend which will provide encouragement for the races ahead.

The same cannot be said for McLaren, the fears of both Jenson Button and Sergio Perez confirmed as they became lambs to the slaughter as the laps were reeled off around Melbourne’s Albert Park.

The trials and tribulations of a qualifying session that needed to be completed on the morning of the race thanks to the wind threatened to return for the race as the sky darkened once more for the start.

Hamilton had his work cut out from the off when Red Bull’s Mark Webber bogged down allowing Felipe Massa of Ferrari to sweep through.

The congestion saw Hamilton forced to fend off Alonso as Vettel tore off into the distance.

Take that: Vettel gives Raikkonen a burst of bubbles on the podium

Podium fun

But Hamilton was powerless to fight off Ferrari’s double world champion and by lap two Raikkonen was also past his Mercedes.

The 2008 world champion then settled into rhythm in his Mercedes ahead of a train of pursuers, as the quartet of Vettel, Massa, Alonso, and Raikkonen edged away at the head of the field.

But with Pirelli under orders to spice things up even more this season, the pit lane was soon a hive of activity with Button first to come in to swap his super softs for medium tyres.

The shake-up allowed plenty of shots of both McLarens being gobbled up by their quicker rivals, emphasising just how much work lies ahead back at the factory in Woking.

Meanwhile, Mercedes opted to keep their drivers out longer than the front runners, meaning Hamilton, on lap 11, at least led his debut grand prix for his new team.

But despite the huge progress made by Mercedes from last season, this race was always likely to boil down to a battle between Red Bull, Ferrari and Lotus.

That said, having also opted for a two stop strategy work, Adrian Sutil performed admirably on his return to grand prix racing with Force India and at least gave those hunting the win another obstacle to have to overcome.

On song: Finnish driver Raikkonen of Lotus led the way in the Melbourne Grand Prix

No cigar: Fernando Alonso ran Raikkonen close but could not beat his rival

As the strategists got their calculators out so the order was given another shaken up yet again when the second visit to the pits was completed.

Ferrari’s decision to bring Alonso in a lap earlier than Vettel allowed him to bang in a quick lap and assume the lead from the reigning world champion.

But it was the call by Lotus to leave Raikkonen out for two laps longer than the rest of his rivals which proved to be a critical strategy ploy.

Calling upon all of his experience the 33-year-old, set about nursing his car home without another visit to the garage as Alonso and Vettel were forced to carry out a three-stop race.

Alonso did his best to throw down the gauntlet in the closing stages, but emphasising just how strong the combination of Raikkonen and the 2013 Lotus looks like being, the 2007 world champion even managed to set the fastest lap despite his tyres being at the point of disintegration.

Down the rankings: Lewis Hamilton finished fifth in his first race for Mercedes

After taking the chequered flag, the Finn, normally of few words, uttered over the radio: ‘I told you the car was good’.

The rest of the field will be certainly concerned at just how light on its feet the Lotus is as the Formula One circus heads for Malaysia next weekend.

As for Hamilton, he can certainly be satisfied with his afternoon’s work, coming home in fifth. But the result was also something of a reality check after all the enthusiasm about the strides Mercedes have made.

After all, Rosberg was forced to retire on lap 27 with an electrical problem while Hamilton was never really able to match the pace of Lotus, Ferrari and Red Bull.

Even so, with Button coming home in ninth and Perez out of the points in 11th, Hamilton certainly has less to be worried about than all those at his former McLaren home.

Speaking on the podium, Raikkonen said: ‘I was pretty confident before the race. I thought it should be easy to do it.

Holy smokes: Cars lock up their brakes as they approach the first corner of the Albert Park circuit

‘I got a good start and it worked well. I had doubts because it is the first race and I didn't do any long runs in the winter. But you have to get through the first laps and go from there.

‘Fernando was catching me at some point so I just wanted to make sure if the rain comes we have a big gap.

‘I was still taking it pretty easy. It was a pretty nice race. Not too difficult.’

Following a tough opening weekend, far removed from his excitement when the car was unveiled at the end of January, Button said: 'It was good to get a couple of points, but it doesn't really ease the pain.

'At this stage we still have to aim for the world championship. That has to be the target when you drive for McLaren.

'But it's going to be very difficult for us from where we are, a lot harder than we thought this year.

'For us to get back to the front, it's not going to be whilst we're racing outside Europe, but we've got what we have and we're going to deal with it the best we can and push hard for improvements.

Frustration: Jenson Button drives in front of Mark Webber but neither driver will be happy with their finish

'With Malaysia next weekend we're not going to do much before then other than hopefully understand the car a little more and extract a bit more performance.'

Button naturally trusts the team to turn around what is already a dire situation, but he knows it will not be easy.

'There is a lot for us to do, so it's not something we're going to change overnight, just hopefully sooner rather than later,' added Button.

'If we come away from Malaysia with the same sort of points we'll be ecstatic, so that shows where we are, which is not McLaren. We should be further up.

'It's tough for all of us in the team, but we're doing all we can.

'We had bad spots last year, but there is a lot more for us to do to get back to the front than last year.'

The gang's all here: The drivers pose for a group shot before the race

RACE

Melbourne, Australia	Finished
17 March 2013 17:00 - 19:00	Lap 58 of 58

Position	Driver	Car	Team	Time	Points
1	Kimi Räikkönen ⌚	7	Lotus F1 Team	1:30:3.225	25
2	Fernando Alonso	3	Scuderia Ferrari	1:30:15.676	18
3	Sebastian Vettel	1	Infiniti Red Bull Racing	1:30:25.571	15
4	Felipe Massa	4	Scuderia Ferrari	1:30:36.802	12
5	Lewis Hamilton	10	Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team	1:30:48.786	10
6	Mark Webber	2	Infiniti Red Bull Racing	1:30:50.025	8
7	Adrian Sutil	14	Sahara Force India F1 Team	1:31:8.293	6
8	Paul Di Resta	15	Sahara Force India F1 Team	1:31:11.674	4
9	Jenson Button	5	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes	1:31:24.855	2
10	Romain Grosjean	8	Lotus F1 Team	1:31:25.984	1
11	Sergio Pérez	6	Vodafone McLaren Mercedes	1:31:26.592	0
12	Jean-Éric Vergne	18	Scuderia Toro Rosso	1:31:27.082	0
13	Esteban Gutièrrez	12	Sauber F1 Team	+1 LAP(s)	0
14	Valtteri Bottas	17	Williams F1 Team	+1 LAP(s)	0
15	Jules Bianchi	22	Marussia F1 Team	+1 LAP(s)	0
16	Charles Pic	20	Caterham F1 Team	+2 LAP(s)	0
17	Max Chilton	23	Marussia F1 Team	+2 LAP(s)	0
18	Giedo van der Garde	21	Caterham F1 Team	+2 LAP(s)	0
19	Daniel Ricciardo	19	Scuderia Toro Rosso	RETIRED, 40 Laps	0
20	Nico Rosberg	9	Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team	RETIRED, 26 Laps	0
21	Pastor Maldonado	16	Williams F1 Team	RETIRED, 24 Laps	0
22	Nico Hülkenberg	11	Sauber F1 Team	RETIRED, 0 Laps	0

KATCHING MY I

Pages

Monday, 22 April 2013

Button and Perez are given license to duel as Vettel glides to win Bahrain Grand Prix

That's how you race! Button and Perez are given license to duel as Vettel glides to win

Monday, 25 March 2013

Wound-up Webber considering his F1 career after controversial Vettel victory in Malaysia

Fresh footage shows fuming Webber cutting up Red Bull team-mate Vettel in dangerous move after Malaysia mayhem

Wound-up Webber considering his F1 career after controversial Vettel victory in Malaysia

Sunday, 24 March 2013

Webber gives Vettel the finger as world champion IGNORES team orders to win Malaysian Grand Prix

Red Bull in crisis: Webber gives Vettel the finger as world champion IGNORES team orders to win Malaysian Grand Prix

WHAT THEY SAID

Sunday, 17 March 2013

Raikkonen delivers for Lotus Down Under as Flying Finn sees off Alonso while Hamilton finishes fifth on Mercedes debut

Raikkonen delivers for Lotus Down Under as Flying Finn sees off Alonso while Hamilton finishes fifth on Mercedes debut

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