The Australian Grand Prix was quite an exciting race, all thing considered. Once again the stewards made a decision that altered the podium post-race. Ferrari failed to finish. Robert Kubica and Sebastian Vettel were both having great runs until they decided to try to be in the same place at the same time, which usually doesn't work in an 800-bhp F1 car.
Brawn GP dominated the race, as Jenson Button was never out of the lead. Rubens Barrichello flubbed the start, caused a bit of a kerfuffle in turn one leading to more than one car exiting the race at least temporarily for repairs. He then charged back through the pack, tore off part of his front wing in a minor collision with Kimi Raikkonen, and then finished 2nd. It is the first time since 1954 that a new team has finished 1-2 in their first Grand Prix event.
Raikkonen decided to spin out in a move reminiscent of Spa 2008. His partner at Scuderia Ferrari, Felipe "Hit Everything in Sight" Massa, actually had a rather uneventful day. He didn't hit anyone, ruining my prediction that a driving koala bear would be safer. He did, however, suffer mechanical problems that forced him from the race.
BMW Sauber was having a good day up until the moment when Robert Kubica and Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel tangled on lap 55 of 58, spinning both cars. They both attempted to drive on. Vettel slammed into the wall about two hundred feet later, and Kubica made it another hundred feet before crashing out in spectacular fashion. Vettel's car was heavily damaged but still mostly driveable and he tried to make it back to the pits. As a result he has been penalized $50,000 and ten grid spots at Malaysia for carrying-on in a damaged(dangerous) car. The highest starting spot available to Vettel at Malaysia, then, is eleventh.
Force India had a relatively good day. Although they didn't finish in the points, they did finish ninth and tenth.
Scuderia Toro Rosso had a good points day as well. Buemi finished seventh and Bourdais finished eighth, giving the team points for both spots.
Williams had a rather disappointing day. Nico Rosberg had been unbelievably fast in practice, but it translated to a sixth place finish in the Grand Prix. Teammate Kazuki Nakajima crashed out on lap 18.
Toyota, as a penalty for having flexible rear wings, started from the pit lane. They charged through the pack, the trick diffuser apparently working its magic. Jarno Trulli was running third at the end of the race, but the stewards penalized him for passing behind the safety car, a 25-second time penalty, dropping him to 12th spot. Timo Glock, as a result of Trulli's penalization, ended up fourth.
McLaren Mercedes had perhaps the most diametrically opposed day that a team could have. Heikki Kovalainen crashed out on lap 1 (see kerfuffle, above), ending up in 20th spot at the end. Lewis Hamilton started 18th because of a broken gearbox that had to be replaced. He drove perhaps one of the best races of his career, landing in fourth spot by the end. Hamilton was awarded third after the race because the stewards deemed that Jarno Trulli passed him under safety car conditions. The decision will likely be reviewed, as there is conflicting evidence apparently pointing to both drivers passing each other under safety car conditions.
All in all, fun race. Malaysia next weekend looks great as well. And the all-to-early weather forecast for the southeast Asia track: RAIN.
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