Hamilton makes Australian GP win look easy

Despite an accident-filled race, it was a dream start to the Formula One season.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Lewis Hamilton made it look easy.

Last year’s Formula One runner-up was never seriously threatened Sunday in winning an accident-filled Australian Grand Prix to open the season.

“What a dream start to the season and my championship challenge,” the British driver said. “The three safety car periods meant that there was never time to relax, and the whole situation was like a bit like Canada last year when I claimed my first victory.”

The McLaren driver started from the pole and stayed ahead of the mayhem to claim his fifth victory in 18 GP starts. The 23-year-old finished in 1 hour, 34 minutes and 50.616 seconds. BMW-Sauber’s Nick Heidfeld was second 5.4 seconds back and Williams’ Nico Rosberg was third 8.1 seconds off the pace.

Defending champion Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari ran out of gas as he entered the pits with only five laps to go. He was one of 15 cars in the 22-car field that did not complete the 58-lap race.

But Raikkonen got one championship point when stewards voided Rubens Barrichello’s sixth-place finish because the Honda driver left the pits while the exit lights were red. It was Ferrari’s only point, representing the Italian team’s worst season-opening race since 1992.

The race ended at the first corner for four cars, with 2005 Australian GP winner Giancarlo Fisichella skidding off in the Force India team’s debut.

Local favorite Mark Webber and Honda’s Jenson Button were also among the five cars out by the end of the first lap on the 3.295-mile Albert Park circuit.

“It was a super race which I controlled from the beginning,” Hamilton said. “It was close going to the first corner, but I was able to keep it cool and look after the tires.

“From then, I paced myself and didn’t overdo it — I had plenty of time in me.”

Fernando Alonso, the two-time champion who is back at Renault after a season with McLaren, moved up from 11th on the grid to finish fourth. It was the first time since 2003 that he did not finish on the podium at Melbourne.

Hamilton’s McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen was fifth, with Barrichello crossing sixth and Williams’ No. 2 Kazuki Nakajima seventh — the only cars to finish. Nakajima was elevated to sixth place after the race.