2007 Australian Grand Prix: F1 Race, Qualifying & Winners

Kimi Räikkönen made a winning start to life at Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix, controlling the season opener from pole. Behind him, Fernando Alonso began his McLaren career in second, while debutant Lewis Hamilton announced himself with a podium at Albert Park Circuit.

Result	Driver / Time	Team
Pole position	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
Pole time	1:26.072
Fastest lap	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
Fastest-lap time	1:25.235 on lap 41
First	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
Second	Fernando Alonso	McLaren
Third	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren

Weekend Schedule

Date	Session	Local Time
16 March 2007	Practice 1	10:00
16 March 2007	Practice 2	14:00
17 March 2007	Practice 3	11:00
17 March 2007	Qualifying	14:00
18 March 2007	Race	14:00

All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.

Championship background

Michael Ralf Schumacher’s retirement and Fernando Alonso’s move from Renault to McLaren reshaped the front of the grid for the 2007 F1 World Championship. Kimi Räikkönen took the vacant Ferrari seat, while Bridgestone became the sole tyre supplier and drivers had to use both nominated dry compounds in a dry race.

Race entries

Ferrari paired Kimi Räikkönen with Felipe Massa, while McLaren introduced Fernando Alonso alongside rookie Lewis Hamilton. Heikki Kovalainen stepped into Fernando Alonso’s Renault seat, Alexander Wurz returned to a full-time race drive with Williams, and Anthony Davidson joined Super Aguri. Adrian Sutil made his debut with Spyker, the team formerly known as Midland.

Free Practice

Friday morning’s rain gave the new-look field a slippery introduction to Melbourne. Fernando Alonso adapted quickest, putting McLaren more than a second clear of Felipe Massa as the teams worked through wet-weather running. It was an encouraging first session for the reigning champion in his new colours, although the changing conditions left the dry-weather competitive order unresolved.

The track dried for the afternoon and Ferrari made its pace much clearer. Felipe Massa led Kimi Räikkönen, with Lewis Hamilton less than a tenth behind the Finn on his first Grand Prix Friday. Giancarlo Fisichella, Nick Heidfeld and Alexander Wurz put three different teams in the next three places, giving the midfield plenty to fight over behind the leading pair of teams.

A little early drizzle prompted wet tyres on Saturday morning, but the surface soon dried and Kimi Räikkönen took command. Super Aguri supplied the surprise: Anthony Davidson finished fourth and Takuma Sato also reached the top ten, a striking improvement on the team’s first season. Lewis Hamilton again ran ahead of Fernando Alonso, while Giancarlo Fisichella’s second place kept Renault in the conversation before qualifying.

Free Practice 1 Classification

2007 Australian Grand Prix FP1, 16 March 2007

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time / Gap	Laps
1	1	Fernando Alonso	McLaren	1:29.214	23
2	5	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	+1.493s	7
3	35	Sebastian Vettel	BMW Sauber	+1.643s	22
4	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren	+1.664s	14
5	7	Jenson Button	Honda	+1.948s	15
6	38	Kazuki Nakajima	Williams	+2.187s	21
7	14	David Coulthard	Red Bull Racing	+2.314s	9
8	4	Heikki Kovalainen	Renault	+2.357s	20
9	15	Mark Webber	Red Bull Racing	+2.447s	16
10	8	Rubens Barrichello	Honda	+2.523s	12
11	22	Takuma Sato	Super Aguri	+2.568s	7
12	3	Giancarlo Fisichella	Renault	+2.797s	14
13	17	Alexander Wurz	Williams	+2.980s	18
14	20	Adrian Sutil	Spyker	+4.829s	26
15	18	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Toro Rosso	+5.413s	8
16	21	Christijan Albers	Spyker	+5.841s	10
17	9	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	+8.035s	12
18	23	Anthony Davidson	Super Aguri	+10.007s	6
19	6	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari	+10.028s	7
20	11	Ralf Schumacher	Toyota	+10.336s	9
21	19	Scott Speed	Toro Rosso	+12.549s	9
22	12	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	+14.916s	11

Free Practice 2 Classification

2007 Australian Grand Prix FP2, 16 March 2007

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time / Gap	Laps
1	5	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	1:27.353	32
2	6	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari	+0.397s	33
3	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren	+0.476s	29
4	3	Giancarlo Fisichella	Renault	+0.588s	33
5	9	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	+0.617s	27
6	17	Alexander Wurz	Williams	+0.628s	31
7	1	Fernando Alonso	McLaren	+0.687s	25
8	16	Nico Rosberg	Williams	+0.702s	29
9	10	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber	+0.928s	26
10	14	David Coulthard	Red Bull Racing	+1.142s	23
11	23	Anthony Davidson	Super Aguri	+1.374s	28
12	12	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	+1.568s	33
13	22	Takuma Sato	Super Aguri	+1.656s	23
14	7	Jenson Button	Honda	+1.713s	30
15	8	Rubens Barrichello	Honda	+2.189s	12
16	11	Ralf Schumacher	Toyota	+2.221s	26
17	15	Mark Webber	Red Bull Racing	+2.448s	11
18	4	Heikki Kovalainen	Renault	+2.744s	10
19	19	Scott Speed	Toro Rosso	+3.030s	28
20	20	Adrian Sutil	Spyker	+3.755s	35
21	21	Christijan Albers	Spyker	+3.822s	32
22	18	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Toro Rosso	+4.340s	16

Free Practice 3 Classification

2007 Australian Grand Prix FP3, 17 March 2007

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Time / Gap	Laps
1	6	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari	1:26.064	14
2	3	Giancarlo Fisichella	Renault	+0.390s	18
3	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren	+0.403s	12
4	23	Anthony Davidson	Super Aguri	+0.427s	17
5	5	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	+0.483s	14
6	9	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	+0.689s	18
7	1	Fernando Alonso	McLaren	+0.722s	10
8	4	Heikki Kovalainen	Renault	+0.873s	13
9	22	Takuma Sato	Super Aguri	+1.202s	12
10	17	Alexander Wurz	Williams	+1.258s	9
11	15	Mark Webber	Red Bull Racing	+1.326s	13
12	10	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber	+1.689s	19
13	11	Ralf Schumacher	Toyota	+1.823s	13
14	12	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	+1.833s	16
15	8	Rubens Barrichello	Honda	+1.975s	16
16	16	Nico Rosberg	Williams	+1.997s	5
17	7	Jenson Button	Honda	+2.055s	21
18	14	David Coulthard	Red Bull Racing	+2.144s	12
19	18	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Toro Rosso	+2.268s	15
20	19	Scott Speed	Toro Rosso	+2.421s	9
21	20	Adrian Sutil	Spyker	+2.614s	19
22	21	Christijan Albers	Spyker	+4.483s	7

Qualifying

Kimi Räikkönen claimed pole on his Ferrari debut, with Fernando Alonso alongside and Nick Heidfeld squeezing Lewis Hamilton off the second row’s inside position. Lewis Hamilton had shown strong pace throughout the knockout sessions, but an untidy middle sector on his decisive lap left him fourth. Robert Kubica and Giancarlo Fisichella completed the first three rows.

Felipe Massa’s afternoon unravelled when his Ferrari stopped in Q2; a subsequent engine change sent him to the back of the grid. Takuma Sato took Super Aguri into the final shootout and qualified tenth, while Heikki Kovalainen missed Q3 on his Renault debut. The grid offered a very different starting point for Ferrari’s two drivers.

Qualifying Classification

2007 Australian Grand Prix Qualifying, 17 March 2007

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Laps
1	6	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari	1:26.644	1:25.644	1:26.072	17
2	1	Fernando Alonso	McLaren	1:26.697	1:25.326	1:26.493	19
3	9	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	1:26.895	1:25.358	1:26.556	21
4	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren	1:26.674	1:25.577	1:26.755	16
5	10	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber	1:26.696	1:25.882	1:27.347	19
6	3	Giancarlo Fisichella	Renault	1:27.270	1:25.944	1:27.634	21
7	15	Mark Webber	Red Bull Racing	1:26.978	1:26.623	1:27.934	23
8	12	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	1:27.014	1:26.688	1:28.404	23
9	11	Ralf Schumacher	Toyota	1:27.328	1:26.739	1:28.692	22
10	22	Takuma Sato	Super Aguri	1:27.365	1:26.758	1:28.871	23
11	23	Anthony Davidson	Super Aguri	1:26.986	1:26.909	—	12
12	16	Nico Rosberg	Williams	1:27.596	1:26.914	—	13
13	4	Heikki Kovalainen	Renault	1:27.529	1:26.964	—	10
14	7	Jenson Button	Honda	1:27.540	1:27.264	—	14
15	17	Alexander Wurz	Williams	1:27.479	1:27.393	—	13
16	5	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	1:26.712	No time	—	6
17	8	Rubens Barrichello	Honda	1:27.679	—	—	9
18	19	Scott Speed	Toro Rosso	1:28.305	—	—	7
19	14	David Coulthard	Red Bull Racing	1:28.579	—	—	6
20	18	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Toro Rosso	1:29.267	—	—	6
21	20	Adrian Sutil	Spyker	1:29.339	—	—	6
22	21	Christijan Albers	Spyker	1:31.932	—	—	7

Felipe Massa failed to set a time in Q2 due to a gearbox problem.

Felipe Massa was given a ten-place grid penalty for an engine change.

What happened in the 2007 Australian Grand Prix?

Kimi Räikkönen led away cleanly, while Lewis Hamilton swept around the outside of the opening corners to emerge third, ahead of Fernando Alonso. Nick Heidfeld initially split the Ferrari and McLarens, but his earlier first stop helped the McLaren pair move ahead. Kimi Räikkönen steadily built the cushion that would underpin his victory.

Lewis Hamilton briefly led during the pit-stop cycles, making an assured start to his Formula 1 career. Fernando Alonso stayed out longer at the second round of stops and emerged ahead of his team-mate to secure second. Further back, Robert Kubica lost a promising result to gearbox trouble, and David Coulthard’s attempted pass on Alexander Wurz ended with the Red Bull vaulting over the Williams; both drivers escaped injury.

Kimi Räikkönen managed a late water leak to win by 7.242 seconds, with Lewis Hamilton completing the podium behind Fernando Alonso. Nick Heidfeld finished fourth, Giancarlo Fisichella fifth and Felipe Massa recovered from the back to sixth. Nico Rosberg and Ralf Schumacher took the remaining points as Ferrari’s new recruit left Melbourne with the early championship lead.

After the race, Kimi Räikkönen headed the drivers’ standings with 10 points, followed by Fernando Alonso on 8. McLaren led the constructors’ table on 14, with Ferrari on 13.

2007 Australian Grand Prix race results

The 2007 Australian Grand Prix was held on 18 March 2007, with a scheduled start of 14:00 local time.

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time / Retired	Pts.
1	6	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari	58	1:25:28.770	10
2	1	Fernando Alonso	McLaren	58	+7.242	8
3	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren	58	+18.595	6
4	9	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	58	+38.763	5
5	3	Giancarlo Fisichella	Renault	58	+1:06.469	4
6	5	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	58	+1:06.805	3
7	16	Nico Rosberg	Williams	57	+1 Lap	2
8	11	Ralf Schumacher	Toyota	57	+1 Lap	1
9	12	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	57	+1 Lap	0
10	4	Heikki Kovalainen	Renault	57	+1 Lap	0
11	8	Rubens Barrichello	Honda	57	+1 Lap	0
12	22	Takuma Sato	Super Aguri	57	+1 Lap	0
13	15	Mark Webber	Red Bull Racing	57	+1 Lap	0
14	18	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Toro Rosso	57	+1 Lap	0
15	7	Jenson Button	Honda	57	+1 Lap	0
16	23	Anthony Davidson	Super Aguri	56	+2 Laps	0
17	20	Adrian Sutil	Spyker	56	+2 Laps	0
Ret	17	Alexander Wurz	Williams	48	Collision	0
Ret	14	David Coulthard	Red Bull Racing	48	Collision	0
Ret	10	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber	36	Gearbox	0
Ret	19	Scott Speed	Toro Rosso	28	Puncture	0
Ret	21	Christijan Albers	Spyker	10	Accident	0

Christijan Albers started the race from the pitlane.

2007 Australian Grand Prix Fastest Laps

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Lap	Time	Avg. Speed
1	6	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari	41	1:25.235	223.978
2	1	Fernando Alonso	McLaren	20	1:26.314	221.178
3	2	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren	20	1:26.351	221.083
4	10	Robert Kubica	BMW Sauber	19	1:26.642	220.341
5	16	Nico Rosberg	Williams	40	1:26.721	220.140
6	9	Nick Heidfeld	BMW Sauber	37	1:26.722	220.137
7	3	Giancarlo Fisichella	Renault	18	1:26.892	219.707
8	5	Felipe Massa	Ferrari	28	1:27.044	219.323
9	15	Mark Webber	Red Bull Racing	21	1:27.501	218.178
10	4	Heikki Kovalainen	Renault	44	1:27.592	217.951
11	14	David Coulthard	Red Bull Racing	44	1:27.706	217.668
12	11	Ralf Schumacher	Toyota	42	1:27.796	217.444
13	12	Jarno Trulli	Toyota	45	1:28.034	216.857
14	8	Rubens Barrichello	Honda	17	1:28.098	216.699
15	18	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Toro Rosso	44	1:28.282	216.247
16	17	Alexander Wurz	Williams	24	1:28.303	216.196
17	7	Jenson Button	Honda	42	1:28.387	215.991
18	22	Takuma Sato	Super Aguri	20	1:28.487	215.746
19	23	Anthony Davidson	Super Aguri	41	1:28.489	215.742
20	20	Adrian Sutil	Spyker	40	1:28.687	215.260
21	19	Scott Speed	Toro Rosso	22	1:28.953	214.616
22	21	Christijan Albers	Spyker	9	1:30.899	210.022

Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. Average speeds are in km/h. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.

2007 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings

Championship standings after the 2007 Australian Grand Prix.

2007 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings

POS	Driver	Nationality	Car	PTS
1	Kimi Räikkönen	Finnish	Ferrari	10
2	Fernando Alonso	Spanish	McLaren	8
3	Lewis Hamilton	British	McLaren	6
4	Nick Heidfeld	German	BMW Sauber	5
5	Giancarlo Fisichella	Italian	Renault	4
6	Felipe Massa	Brazilian	Ferrari	3
7	Nico Rosberg	German	Williams	2
8	Ralf Schumacher	German	Toyota	1
9	Jarno Trulli	Italian	Toyota	0
10	Heikki Kovalainen	Finnish	Renault	0
11	Rubens Barrichello	Brazilian	Honda	0
12	Takuma Sato	Japanese	Super Aguri	0
13	Mark Webber	Australian	Red Bull Racing	0
14	Vitantonio Liuzzi	Italian	Toro Rosso	0
15	Jenson Button	British	Honda	0
16	Anthony Davidson	British	Super Aguri	0
17	Adrian Sutil	German	Spyker	0
–	Alexander Wurz	Austrian	Williams	0
–	David Coulthard	British	Red Bull Racing	0
–	Robert Kubica	Polish	BMW Sauber	0
–	Scott Speed	American	Toro Rosso	0
–	Christijan Albers	Dutch	Spyker	0

2007 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings

POS	Car	PTS
1	McLaren	14
2	Ferrari	13
3	BMW Sauber	5
4	Renault	4
5	Williams	2
6	Toyota	1
7	Honda	0
8	Super Aguri	0
9	Red Bull Racing	0
10	Toro Rosso	0
11	Spyker	0

2007 Formula 1 Race Calendar

Round	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date
1	2007 Australian Grand Prix	Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne	18 March
2	2007 Malaysian Grand Prix	Sepang International Circuit, Sepang	8 April
3	2007 Bahrain Grand Prix	Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir	15 April
4	2007 Spanish Grand Prix	Circuit de Catalunya, Montmeló	13 May
5	2007 Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo	27 May
6	2007 Canadian Grand Prix	Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Montréal	10 June
7	2007 United States Grand Prix	Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis	17 June
8	2007 French Grand Prix	Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Magny-Cours	1 July
9	2007 British Grand Prix	Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone	8 July
10	2007 European Grand Prix	Nürburgring, Nürburg	22 July
11	2007 Hungarian Grand Prix	Hungaroring, Mogyoród	5 August
12	2007 Turkish Grand Prix	Istanbul Park, Istanbul	26 August
13	2007 Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza	9 September
14	2007 Belgian Grand Prix	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot	16 September
15	2007 Japanese Grand Prix	Fuji Speedway, Oyama	30 September
16	2007 Chinese Grand Prix	Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai	7 October
17	2007 Brazilian Grand Prix	Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo	21 October