Spain’s Fernando Alonso won the Australian Grand Prix in a dominating drive in Melbourne on Sunday as the Renault world drivers’ champion led for all but a couple of laps.
McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen was behind him 1,8 seconds off the pace with Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher third a further 22,9 seconds back.
In a spectacular ending, Jenson Button’s Honda tailed flames and smoke as he pulled up 30m short, missing out on points after coming into the home straight in fifth spot pursued by last year’s winner, Giancarlo Fisichella.
German Nick Heidfeld, in a BMW Sauber, was fourth ahead of Renault’s Fisichella, with Jacques Villeneuve sixth.
The safety car was used four times in an incident-packed race that saw crashes force out Christian Klien, Vitantonio Liuzzi and both Ferrari drivers, Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa.
Button, who was the pole-sitter after posting the fastest lap in qualifying on Saturday, saw Alonso surge past in the home straight coming off the safety-car lap on lap three.
He was again overtaken in the straight on lap seven, this time by Raikkonen when the safety car was used a second time after Austrian Klien’s Red Bull veered into a wall and scattered debris on to the track.
Alonso came into the pits for the first time after 19 laps and refuelled 84 litres for 22 laps. He rejoined the race in third behind Raikkonen and Australian Mark Webber.
Raikkonen pitted next lap, allowing Webber to lead ahead of Alonso with the Finn rejoining the proceedings in third after 21 laps.
But Webber’s Williams car slowed to a crawl and he pulled out of the race on lap 23, sending Alonso back to the lead ahead of Heidfeld and Raikkonen.
Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher crashed out on the 34th lap. He was in sixth when he appeared to oversteer coming into turn 16 at the top of the home straight. His front wheel crumbled as it hit the retaining wall, sending the car across the track.
The safety car was called out for the third time as marshals tried to clear the track after Schumacher’s collision.
Schumacher’s demise left Ferrari with no cars in the race, as Felipe Massa crashed out in the first lap.
Liuzzi’s crash made it a fourth trip out for the safety car.
Alonso again built a six-second lead over Raikkonen and Ralf Schumacher with 12 laps left.
McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya pulled out of the race 11 laps from the finish while in fourth place, with his car coming to rest in the home straight near the pits.
Alonso was never in any bother after that, cruising to victory with the main interest the to-the-wire battle between his teammate Fisichella and Button. — Sapa-AFP