15 Mar 2015

Mercedes to Ferrari: 'Come a bit closer...'

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<b>VICTORY IN MELBOURNE:</b> Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton (right) poses with actor Arnold Schwarzenegger on the podium after winning the season-opening 2015 Australian GP. <i>Image: AP / William West</i>

MELBOURNE, Australia A podium appearance by Hollywood strong-man Arnold Schwarzenegger seemed a suitable conclusion for a farcical race at the 2015 Australian GP in which only 11 cars finished and Mercedes' dominance was almost embarrassing for its drivers.

2014 Drivers' champion Lewis Hamilton may have finished only 1.3sec ahead of team mate Nico Rosberg in winning Formula 1's season-opener but he crossed the line an astonishing 34sec ahead of third-placed Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel.

As if to compensate for the lack of a contest at Albert Park, film actor and former California governor Schwarzenegger was drafted in for the podium ceremony during which he conducted some amusing, if slightly awkward, interviews.

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