australian grand prix australian grand prix formally known formula australian formula motor race held march melbourne race contested seven laps round formula world championship race marked race combined history australian grand prix dates miles road race time event held mercedes driver defending race winner hamilton took pole position season career qualifying session saw introduction new elimination format widely criticised teammate took victory ahead hamilton ferrari race stopped lap following accident involving mercedes break change tyres allowed drivers finish initially led race start finished sixth scoring points team début completely new team mercedes record consecutive finishes achieving fifth row report background regulation changes race saw introduction new qualifying system qualifying divided parts instead eliminating slowest drivers end respective session slowest driver given point eliminated contention ninety seconds countdown starting minutes session change regulations tyre supplier instead tyre compounds available grand prix australian grand prix super soft soft medium compounds providing driver sets tyres race additional qualifying drivers able choose additional sets tyres compounds available notably mercedes drivers different choices opting additional set instead soft tyres manor drivers chose conservative way taking sets medium soft compounds race saw competitive début car return fully manufacturer supported team year absence free practice regulations season practice sessions held hour sessions friday hour session qualifying saturday rain fallen start practice session rendering track wet slippery drivers initially opted laps intermediate tyres set lap time time soon mercedes teammate conditions improved set new fastest time half hour practice soon track dried drivers slick tyres setting time medium compound hour practice hamilton managed best time session wet spots track caused problems number drivers including flat spotted tyres spinning turn pass gravel traps slipping track shortly end session rain returned caught drivers including got stuck gravel pit turn rain showers second practice track wet second session limited drivers intermediate tyres hamilton fastest setting time crashed turn seven thirty minutes session damaging new specification wing team deliberately run practice fear damage later apologised incident saw trying pit lane team told stop track calling early end session finished second hamilton time point way new fastest time overall setting best times track having slow lap heavy rain manor drivers covered highest number laps laps 12th 14th place respectively williams drivers set time albeit going track cars leave garage session rain fell saturday morning track dried start final free practice session set fastest time tenths second teammate position close fastest times set super soft tyre compound mercedes advantage ferrari proved significant seven tenths second harder soft compound tyre likely race confirmed good pace weekend fourth sixth place respectively half second quicker sister team major incident occurred seconds beginning practice session collided pit lane cars needed equip new wings changed floor car later issued place grid penalty incident penalty points added licence qualifying qualifying got way saturday afternoon new rules place years qualifying procedure divided parts running minutes second parts minutes long respectively cars contested seven drivers eliminated contention parts qualifying leaving drivers compete pole position change rules drivers eliminated session slowest runner given point taken contention ninety seconds beginning seven minutes minutes minutes new format meant cars took track quickly setting lap times super soft compound fastest tyre available event manor drivers eliminated having set timed lap cars unable cross finishing line time fate caught qualified 18th drivers able second timed lap proved slow avoid rookie able avoid elimination setting faster time end session started busy track drivers elected second timed run setting sufficient lap times time eliminated drivers determined quickly drivers qualifying 14th 15th respectively contention eliminated 11th place grid failing improve lap time force india beating teammate ninth qualifying determined pole position mercedes drivers set timed laps ferrari drivers run improved second place second time unable challenge teammate hamilton took pole position career driver limited timed lap end locked second row grid ahead rounded grid saw little running final positions determined early drivers exiting cars minutes end qualifying post qualifying new qualifying format criticised immediately end session drivers team personnel alike commentator called swift revision rules saying procedure acceptable calling abandoned race mercedes executive director driver equally critical describing rubbish embarrassing team director describing format good formula non executive chairman mercedes agreement calling big mistake particular criticism aimed fact drivers time improve lap times seeing getting technically contention world champion hill observed pole hamilton flag minutes acknowledged worked equally critical describing wrong way joined criticism acknowledged attempt format commercial rights holder formula spoke format declaring pretty day race teams formula voted proposal qualifying format previous seasons rejected commission race end formation lap unable reach grid electrical issue field went formation lap race shortened accordingly laps start proper got away passing mercedes cars lead followed teammate second hamilton went corner hamilton forced wide lost additional places falling sixth suffered lap pitted new tyres mechanical issues field hamilton able pass fifth placed lap leading lap runners pit new tyres hamilton unable pass fourth discussing alternative tactics team radio communication good start debut running 14th place point race end lap runner followed suit laps later quicker stop saw emerge ferrari stayed ahead passed hamilton second lap lap hamilton pitted establishing order lap later major accident ran lifted air mph hitting left hand barrier subsequently rolling times coming rest upside barrier turn experiencing peak force walked away minor injuries safety car deployed short time race direction decided red flag race huge amounts debris track damaged advertising boards causing cars come cars waited restart work cars allowed hamilton wing changed ended race race resumed safety car running super soft tyre compound mercedes equipped set rest race running order restart hamilton ninth driver pitted red flag shown allowed save pit stop change tyres break led away restart forced pull pits lap fire coming subsequently retired handing second place couple laps able pull away softer tyre compound marcus handed drive penalty having team work car seconds restart lap gap started come hamilton moved ahead fifth pitted laps later slow pit stop lost time lap took lead pitted lost time mistake stop emerged track fourth place hamilton started pull time leaders held struggle ninth place lap started slow track eventually retired lap later hamilton moved second ahead main straight lap saw overtake fell eleventh lap later changed tyres came fifth taking fourth laps later hamilton slowly closed gap coming came hamilton laps remaining chasing closely laps making mistake second corner lap losing chances second place race ended took victory thirty years father won australian grand prix hamilton rounded podium ahead having finished sixth new scratch toyota score points inaugural grand prix race entry point finishing fourth highest finish australian driver home event mercedes fifth consecutive finish record set ferrari post race podium interviews conducted formula driver mercedes drivers expressed delight result hamilton particular described race great added loved fact come far satisfied start lamented red flag situation said ferrari expected mercedes opt harder tyre compound end race later added confident ferrari closed gap mercedes able compete championship season later revealed team close retiring car brake issues caused debris caught brake able manage brake temperatures secure victory apologised teammate making contact forcing wide start following inquiry incident took action driver deeming racing incident driver particularly blame shared opinion quick express blame accident talking point days race president pointing impact fatal years earlier praised measures taken terms driver security fatal accident san grand prix saying efforts able expect driver walk away violent crash particular praise race went newcomers delivered guardian described impressive drive able hold attacks drivers laps closing stages race unhappy team strategy race handling situation repeatedly complaining swearing team radio lost seconds rushed lamented wanted pit teammate driving trailing asked team orders allow pass teammate denied leading describe team strategy joke received criticism describing sounding like teenager later apologised team classification qualifying race championship standings race note positions included sets standings
2016 Australian Grand Prix