F1 Fanatic

Jenson Button won in Melbourne for the second year in a row

Jenson Button scored his first win for McLaren in his second start for the team at Melbourne.

The world champion made an early switch to slick tyres on a damp track which paid dividends. But once again Sebastian Vettel lost the lead with an apparent car failure on his Red Bull.

Lewis Hamilton endured a frustrating race in the other McLaren. He made an extra pit stop in the later stages of the race and was hit by Mark Webber two laps from home.

Australian Grand Prix in pictures

Hamilton recovered to take sixth behind Nico Rosberg, who he passed earlier in the race with a brave pass around the outside of turn 11. Hamilton had been as high as third earlier in the race.

Button led home Robert Kubica who scored a fine second for Renault, and Felipe Massa who spent much of the race defending from team mate Fernando Alonso.

Webber ended the race in ninth after his collision with Hamilton. He had briefly led but delayed his switch from intermediates to dry tyres, dropping him down the running order.

Vitantonio Liuzzi scored points for Force India again with seventh ahead of Rubens Barrichello.

And Michael Schumacher claimed the final point after a long recovery drive after he hit the spinning Ferrari of Alonso on lap one. He spent much of the race trying to find a way around Jaime Alguersuari’s Toro Rosso, and claimed tenth place with a late pass on Pedro de la Rosa in the dying stages of the race.

Full report and analysis to follow.

2010 Australian Grand Prix

• 2010 Australian Grand Prix – the complete F1 Fanatic review
• Australian GP team-by-team analysis
• 2010 Australian Grand Prix stats and facts
• Melbourne was a blast but F1′s aero problem remains (Australian GP analysis)
• Alonso fourth, Schumacher tenth in their battle from the back in Melbourne
• Australian Grand Prix fastest laps
• Australian Grand Prix in pictures
• Unreliability costs Vettel another win
• Hamilton fumes after strategy mistake
• Button wins thrilling Australian GP