Publications
Partners
MELBOURNE, Australia - McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is in pole position for the opening race of the Formula 1 season with the quickest time in qualifying ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
Hamilton's best lap of one minute 24.922 seconds put him ahead of team mate Jenson Button, who was second quickest in 1min 25.074 and will make up an all-McLaren front row in Sunday's race.
A big surprise on the grid was Lotus rookie Romain Grosjean who set the third quickest time. Grosjean will line up alongside Mercedes of Michael Schumacher in forth.
World champion Sebastian Vettel was sixth fastest, just behind his Red Bull team mate Mark Webber in fifth.
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg and Williams Pastor Maldonado finished seventh and eighth respectively.
Ferrari's problems continued with both cars failing to reach the final round of qualifying.
Fernando Alonso spun off and into the gravel during the second session and will line up 12th on the grid. Felipe Massa's miserable run of form continued as he finished in 16th.
Former champion Kimi Raikkonen failed to get through the first phase of qualifying in his Lotus. Raikkonen lost control of his Lotus during his final flying lap and will line up in 18th place, barring any penalties for other drivers.
Raikkonen also suffered the embarrassment of being outqualified by the inexperienced Grosjean, who has never raced at Albert Park.
Qualifying results from the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min24.922
2 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min25.074
3 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min25.302
4 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min25.336
5 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min25.651
6 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min25.668
7 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min25.686
8 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min25.908
9 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min26.451
10 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso DNS
11 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min26.429
12 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min26.494
13 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min26.590
14 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min26.663
15 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min27.086
16 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min27.497
17 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber DNF
18 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min27.758
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min28.679
20 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min29.018
21 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min30.923
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min31.670
Did not qualify (DNQ) Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min33.495
DNQ Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min33.643
Third free practice times from the 2012 Australian F1 GP at Albert Park in Melbourne
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min25.681
2 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus +0.077
3 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull +0.219
4 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren +0.225
5 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes +0.248
6 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes +0.397
7 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull +0.530
8 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams +0.789
9 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber +0.951
10 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso +1.042
11Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso +1.052
12 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus +1.056
13 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber +1.074
14 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Force India +1.348
15 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1.438
16 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari +1.642
17 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India +1.747
18 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari +2.342
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham +2.660
20 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham +3.021
21 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia +5.047
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia +5.544
23 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT +7.433
24 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT +7.580
Stay with Wheels24 for the Formula 1 weekend.
Second free practice times
1 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min29.183
2 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min29.292
3 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min30.199
4 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min30.341
5 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Ferrari 1min30.709
6 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min31.466
7 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min31.505
8 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min31.932
9 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min32.184
10 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull1min32.194
11 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min32.296
12 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min32.632
13 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min32.767
14 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min32.822
15 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min33.039
16 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min33.252
17 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min34.108
18 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min34.275
19 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min34.312
20 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min34.485
21 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min34.604
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min34.770
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min42.627
24 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT N/A
First free practice times
1 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min27.560
2 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min27.805
3 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min28.235
4 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min28.360
5 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min28.467
6 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min28.683
7 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min28.908
8 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min29.415
9 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min29.565
10 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min29.722
11 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min29.790
12 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min29.865
13 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min29.881
14 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min29.953
15 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min30.124
16 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min30.515
17 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min30.586
18 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min30.743
19 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min31.178
20 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min31.983
21 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min34.730
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min40.256
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT
24 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT
Hamilton's best lap of one minute 24.922 seconds put him ahead of team mate Jenson Button, who was second quickest in 1min 25.074 and will make up an all-McLaren front row in Sunday's race.
A big surprise on the grid was Lotus rookie Romain Grosjean who set the third quickest time. Grosjean will line up alongside Mercedes of Michael Schumacher in forth.
World champion Sebastian Vettel was sixth fastest, just behind his Red Bull team mate Mark Webber in fifth.
Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg and Williams Pastor Maldonado finished seventh and eighth respectively.
Ferrari's problems continued with both cars failing to reach the final round of qualifying.
Fernando Alonso spun off and into the gravel during the second session and will line up 12th on the grid. Felipe Massa's miserable run of form continued as he finished in 16th.
Former champion Kimi Raikkonen failed to get through the first phase of qualifying in his Lotus. Raikkonen lost control of his Lotus during his final flying lap and will line up in 18th place, barring any penalties for other drivers.
Raikkonen also suffered the embarrassment of being outqualified by the inexperienced Grosjean, who has never raced at Albert Park.
Qualifying results from the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min24.922
2 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min25.074
3 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min25.302
4 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min25.336
5 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min25.651
6 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min25.668
7 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min25.686
8 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min25.908
9 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min26.451
10 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso DNS
11 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min26.429
12 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min26.494
13 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min26.590
14 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min26.663
15 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min27.086
16 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min27.497
17 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber DNF
18 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min27.758
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min28.679
20 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min29.018
21 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min30.923
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min31.670
Did not qualify (DNQ) Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT 1min33.495
DNQ Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min33.643
Third free practice times from the 2012 Australian F1 GP at Albert Park in Melbourne
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min25.681
2 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus +0.077
3 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull +0.219
4 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren +0.225
5 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes +0.248
6 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes +0.397
7 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull +0.530
8 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams +0.789
9 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber +0.951
10 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso +1.042
11Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso +1.052
12 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus +1.056
13 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber +1.074
14 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Force India +1.348
15 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1.438
16 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari +1.642
17 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India +1.747
18 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari +2.342
19 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham +2.660
20 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham +3.021
21 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia +5.047
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia +5.544
23 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT +7.433
24 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT +7.580
Stay with Wheels24 for the Formula 1 weekend.
Second free practice times
1 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min29.183
2 Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min29.292
3 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min30.199
4 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min30.341
5 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Ferrari 1min30.709
6 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min31.466
7 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min31.505
8 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min31.932
9 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min32.184
10 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull1min32.194
11 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min32.296
12 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min32.632
13 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min32.767
14 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min32.822
15 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min33.039
16 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min33.252
17 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min34.108
18 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min34.275
19 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min34.312
20 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min34.485
21 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min34.604
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min34.770
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT 1min42.627
24 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT N/A
First free practice times
1 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1min27.560
2 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 1min27.805
3 Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes 1min28.235
4 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 1min28.360
5 Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 1min28.467
6 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1min28.683
7 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Toro Rosso 1min28.908
8 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Williams 1min29.415
9 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Lotus 1min29.565
10 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1min29.722
11 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 1min29.790
12 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Force India 1min29.865
13 Paul Di Resta (Britain) Force India 1min29.881
14 Bruno Senna (Brazil) Williams 1min29.953
15 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Sauber 1min30.124
16 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus 1min30.515
17 Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Caterham 1min30.586
18 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 1min30.743
19 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso 1min31.178
20 Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Caterham 1min31.983
21 Timo Glock (Germany) Marussia 1min34.730
22 Charles Pic (France) Marussia 1min40.256
23 Narain Karthikeyan (India) HRT
24 Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) HRT