Vettel makes most of Hamilton's pitstop blunder to win the Australian GP, raising hopes of a titanic championship clash between Ferrari and Mercedes
Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton (left) sprays champagne on Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel after the Australian GP in Melbourne yesterday. Pic/AFP
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Melbourne: Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari capitalised on a strategic misstep by Mercedes to seize a dominant victory from Lewis Hamilton after a tense battle between the pair in yesterday's season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
The German crossed the line nearly ten seconds ahead of Hamilton, having leapfrogged the Briton at the only round of pitstops after he started on pole and led during the early part of the race.
The win, in the first race since a sweeping rules overhaul, was the 43rd of Vettel's career. It marked a return to the top step of the podium for the 29-year-old and Ferrari, with the combination last having tasted success two years ago in Singapore.
Much-needed win for Ferrari
"It was what we needed. The whole team has been working really, really hard. The guys didn't get much sleep here and back in the factory," said Vettel on the podium after the race.
Hamilton came second, seven points adrift with 19 of a 20-race season still to run. Hamilton kept the lead off the line but it soon became apparent he didn't have the pace to shake off Vettel with the German matching him lap for lap and hanging on in close pursuit. He took the lead when Hamilton dove into the pits on lap 17 and came out behind Max Verstappen's slower Red Bull, allowing Vettel, lapping in clean air at the front, to build enough of a gap to stay ahead after his own pitstop.
Hamilton's woes
"I had to pit a lot earlier than these guys because I just ran out of grip," said Hamilton"It shows we have a race on our hands," he added. Valtteri Bottas came third on his Mercedes debut.
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