By Marin Moravec, dpa
Melbourne (dpa) – Nico Rosberg in a Mercedes won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in a race which saw Fernando Alonso emerge uninjured from a crash which destroyed his McLaren.
World champion Lewis Hamilton recovered from a poor start from pole to finish second.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel had to make do with third after a braking mistake while pushing Hamilton with two laps remaining
The race was red-flagged on lap 17 of the 57-lap race and interrupted for around 20 minutes after Alonso’s McLaren vaulted into a gravel bed and crash barrier after colliding with the rear of the Haas of Esteban Gutierrez.
Alonso emerged from the wreck of his car initially holding his leg, but waved to the crowd as he was led away for a medical examination.
«It was a scary moment, a scary crash,» Alonso said after being given the medical all-clear.
«For the safety of those cars is why I am alive – and the safety wall. I think it was a racing thing and sometimes we forget we are going 300km an hour.»
Daniel Ricciardo in a Red Bull was fourth, with Felipe Massa in a Williams fifth and Romain Grosjean in debut team Haas sixth.
The top 10 was completed by Nico Huelkenberg in a Force India, Valtteri Bottas in a Williams, and Toro Rosso duo Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen.
Rosberg took the chequered flag 8.060 seconds ahead of Hamilton for the 15th win of his career and his fourth in a row following the last three of last season.
«It’s been a great weekend,» Rosberg said. «Thank you to the team they’ve done an incredible job. We loved it and I’m super excited.
«It’s early days but it’s the perfect start. We have to keep an eye on the red guys (Ferrari).»
Vettel surged into the lead from third on the grid followed by Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, while Hamilton slipped back to sixth.
Mercedes changed tyre strategy, moving Hamilton onto a harder medium compound shortly before Alonso’s crash, to allow the Briton to race through.
Rosberg, who had changed to supersofts, then also changed to mediums after the race was red-flagged.
The strategy paid off after Vettel had some delay with a wheel change on his second stop on lap 36 and dropped to fourth on soft tyres, with Rosberg in front ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in a Red Bull and Hamilton.
Hamilton went past Ricciardo on lap 42 but with his tyres wearing was put under pressure by Vettel towards the end, before the German went off the track with two laps remaining.
Raikkonen meanwhile had to retire with a technical problem, with the team putting out a fire on the Ferrari in the pits.
Hamilton, who had dominated practice and qualifying, had to be satisfied with his second place after his poor start when he also touched Rosberg on the first turn.
«It was a great race. I loved the fact we had to come from far behind,» Hamilton said.
«I’m glad no-one was injured in the shunt and after that it was about trying to get up the field and it’s impossible to follow out there.
«I’ve had much worse in the first race and I’ll take it as a real bonus to come back from seventh.»
Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff said: «I’m very happy for Nico. I don’t think it’s a blow for Lewis because the pace was there and it was the start that compromised him. It will not be a big blow for him.»
Vettel was also pleased after what he called a «mega» start.
«You can argue the red flag didn’t help us. We tried to go more aggressive, maybe it didn’t work but ultimately I’m very happy with third,» he said.
