australian grand prix australian grand prix formally titled formula australian formula motor race held march melbourne race contested laps round formula world championship race marked race combined history australian grand prix dates miles road race twentieth time event held mercedes driver defending race winner team mate started race pole fourth circuit record venue hamilton led home mercedes finish ferrari completing podium start team report background pre season testing dominant performance mercedes season pre season testing season proved fastest field new williams looked quick reliable ferrari particular big step forward time world champions ran car black white camouflage disguise fact austrian team struggled problems concerning engines second laps test days lotus considered points considerable advances winter new partnership got bad start team managed laps half worst team force india furthermore signed team controversial season crashed second testing session barcelona missed race season force india struggled new car track missing test started testing car barcelona introducing new model late driver changes australian saw debut young drivers new formula late replacement weeks prior announced miss inaugural race concussion suffered crash pre season testing doctors advised race avoiding medical complications place taken reserve driver finished second debut event new drivers formula included duo stevens time basis start oldest group year old racing notably youngest driver history formula debuting age years days team following tumultuous pre season went period administration saved late investment arrived melbourne car passed mandatory crash tests completed testing formula series drivers stevens announced drivers signed race deal team participate practice sessions subsequently failed set qualifying time leaving field eighteen cars race legal action week start grand prix weekend dutch driver der garde launched legal action enforce contract entered june drive team season action based award van der garde obtained march international arbitration switzerland initiated team announced november drivers instead marcus wednesday march van der garde succeeded obtaining court orders compelling permit drive melbourne day appealed orders publicly announced compromise safety team drivers putting van der garde car chassis tailored fit appeal heard dismissed following day thursday march legal argument aside raising safety concerns submitted van der garde contract terminated team february approval event van der garde violated clauses contract discussing media lawyers representing argued van der garde followed process failing clients prior notice legal action court upheld previous orders permit van der garde participate race hearing following day friday march hear arguments contempt court proceedings launched van der garde legal team team principal hours court initial judgment favour van der garde published entry list australian grand prix included following pre event despite driver took circuit practice session friday running risk having team assets seized court orders based media speculation intervention avoid negative publicity sport participate afternoon second practice session saturday march dispute reached temporary resolution thanks van der garde announcing racing melbourne view finding permanent solution future team new drivers able complete saturday qualifying session point scoring race sunday tyres announced supplying teams white banded medium compound tyre prime selection yellow banded soft compound option selection event free practice regulations season practice sessions held hour sessions friday hour session qualifying saturday mercedes confirmed good form pre season testing topped time sheets considerable margin practice sessions friday fastest williams fastest friday morning seconds time ferrari new signing friday afternoon seven tenths second showed promising times sister team session cars participated friday morning kept garage legal troubles unable cars running weekend second session local favourite missed session problems cars problems continued cars limited laps session saw evaluation run new system got better team mate practice session saturday morning managed second hamilton williams ferrari good session lotus got drivers raising hopes points finish sunday continued struggle 15th 18th car stopping end pit lane engine problems struggling qualifying qualifying consisted parts minutes length respectively drivers eliminated competing sessions cars failed start drivers eliminated session qualifying run dry conditions struggled expected following lack pre season testing failed driver marcus mercedes williams ones having use softer tyres proceed qualifying second session saw mercedes drivers timed run proved sufficient proceed split rookie failing eliminated second respectable eleventh place grid ran wide turn flying lap lost chance seek areas improvement second run fastest sessions capitalized teammate problem took pole position half second 39th pole position 4th rest field second hamilton time williams best rest position proved regained taking fourth fifth grid respectively race cars unable race debut qualified cars left race began sidelined injury sustained qualifying failed grid cars broke lap suffering transmission problems engine failure left grid starters lowest number season opening race lowest overall infamous start hamilton assumed lead car wide turn involving pastor resulted crashing turn race officials deploying safety car lap car failed taking lotus cars race normal racing resumed lap falling fifth starting position seventh place passed lost track position ordered team relinquish position overtaking safety car conditions hamilton maintained lead lap pitted tyres resumed lead pit new tyres series gained position passing place lap retired points scoring position smoke lap retired turn caused left rear tyre come loose briefly tenth final points position quickly passing driver race long battle begun start position order remained relatively constant hamilton going 34th grand prix win followed completing point cars finished race button car finish outside points sixth position scored formula points debut addition achieved highest placing brazilian driver making grand prix début post race satisfaction mercedes second placed calling awesome start season team praised performance particular saying drove like world champion weekend couldn beat sure trying single lap way maximum year dominant performance mercedes cars sparked controversy issued australian fans felt boring race engine manufacturer lamented dominance rivals calling step apply rule changes level field fearing public lose interest sport happened mercedes chief reacted telling rivals fucking head work sort later clear didn mean word relation comments voiced hopes rivals closer course season saying post race press conference hope good fight awesome statement caused amusement replied honest hope seriously finished seconds ahead hope going closer hope slow saying delighted performance weekend having picked points race compared entire previous season failed inability field car team summoned explain participate qualifying hearing provided sufficient evidence satisfaction team unable field cars violated despite subsequently announced cover freight charges australia costs normally covered classification qualifying race notes cars failed way starting grid unable start race injury suffered qualifying spending night hospital cleared race cars moved place close gap engine failures driving grid vacant grid spaces filled championship standings race note positions included sets standings
2015 Australian Grand Prix