Hamilton was perfect, that's all there is to say. Total domination but as Schumacher proved many times, perfection can be dull from the outside. If Lewis and Mclaren showed all how it should be done, what happened behind? With only seven cars crossing the finish line ( eight if you count the disqualified Barrichello) let's score this demolition derby.Stars of the race:
Hamilton: Mclaren finally learn the advantages of having a designated #1 driver and give Lewis the winning fuel strategy this week end. Hamilton takes full advantage, drives a perfect race and dominates with ease.
Mclaren: Very simple, the team was almost perfect this week end. Almost because what looked like an oddly relaxed last pit stop for Kovaleinen cost him the podium.
Alonso: Fernando showed double world champion form fighting to the end in what was visibly a very bad car. His opportunistic pass of not one, but two Finns at once was brilliant.
Rosberg and Heidfeld: Neither very visible but turns out that was a good thing in Melbourne. Fantastic to see a Williams on the podium again.
Bourdais: He did keep Fernando Heikki and Kimi behind him and considering his qualifying disaster, a great race. Toro Rosso's move to do just one lap the soft tires during the safety car and then switch back to the preferred rubber was brilliant.
One half of Raikkonen: Kimi was fantastic on the first lap, everyone always complains about no overtaking in F1 and Kimi passes eight cars in one lap. The first safety car made it all for nothing as his soft tire gamble was neutralized when he is stuck behind a much slower Barichello.
Dunces of the race:
The other half of Raikkonen: Kimi gets high marks for trying hard and I cannot really fault him for going at Kovaleinen . Getting ahead of Hamilton's blocker was really his only chance of getting onto the podium, he went for it but with no rubber on his front left, he lost. His second spin however was absurd, especially as he had done precisely the same thing, on the same corner, in Friday practice. Jokes about his hangover sure to follow.
Massa: On the first corner Massa showed why nobody takes him seriously, period.
Ferrari: First time both cars fail to finish since 1997, period. Oh wait it gets worse, all their customer engines failed to finish too.
Coulthard: He should retire. You'd think after all this time the head of the F1 driver's association would have figured out Formula 1 cars have no fenders and when you are passed you cannot bump your way back. He did it twice, on the first lap when Kimi passed him and of course with Massa. Perhaps he should go be the second Scotsman in NASCAR.
BMW: If they had a strategy for Kubica, I missed it.
Formula 1 drivers and restarts: What part of "you need to get as close to the leader as possible" is not getting through? Infuriating.
The Speed TV team: First race and Peter Windsor's Ham-worship and constant Alonso and Ferrari bashing is getting old already. Amusing to hear them praise Kovaleinen's blocking abilities and willingness to be a clear #2 driver.
The Albert Park Circuit: Forget installing lights for a night race, how about filling in the potholes?
Luckiest unlucky guy of the week end: Timo Glock, hits a berm and flies but JUST misses a barrier that would have made a spectacular accident a very serious one.
