Kimi Raikkonen won the opening formula one grand prix in Melbourne this morning driving a Lotus.

Fernando Alonso came second in a Ferrari, 12.4 seconds behind.

Champion Sebastian Vettel was third in a Red Bull, having started from pole.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa was fourth and Lewis Hamilton fifth in his first drive for Mercedes.

The Force Indias of Sutil and di Resta came next with Jenson Button in a McLaren making ninth in a disastrous start for the team. Team-mate Perez was out of the points.

Nico Rosberg of Mercedes retired with a technical issue.

Raikkonen, who started sixth, made the best of a two-stop strategy, with the Lotus clearly superior in conserving its Pirelli tyres. All those around him stopped three times.

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