Dream start to season for Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton drove the perfect race to open up the Formula One season with victory in Australia.

The 23-year-old Briton avoided mayhem around him with a pole-to-flag victory on a crash-strewn street circuit.

A jubilant Hamilton said: "It's probably the best race I've had so far - in terms of managing tyres, controlling my pace and confidence, and being comfortable in the car."

"It's quite different to my first win in Montreal, just because it was not really expected.

"Coming into your second season, this is a sort of target I set myself - and so I guess I've put more pressure on myself this year."

Beating Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber and Nico Rosberg's Williams to take maximum points he said: "The car was phenomenal, a dream to drive compared to the car we had last year."

And Hamilton was already looking forward to returning to the track next week, saying: "I feel fantastic. I never thought it would have been physically as much of a breeze as it was out there. It's great preparation for Malaysia. Bring it on."

He finished 5.4 seconds ahead of Heidfeld's BMW Sauber.

Germany's Nico Rosberg celebrated the first podium of his Formula One career with third place for Williams in a sweltering race that saw only seven of the 22 starters still running at the finish.

Neither Ferrari reached the chequered flag, with world champion Kimi Raikkonen retiring five laps from the end after a torrid afternoon at the wheel. Double world champion Fernando Alonso was fourth for Renault.

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