ICE MAN Kimi wins season opener in Australia

An exciting start to the season, the 2013 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne was full of action and surprise right from the word "GO". As usual the first race of the season was unpredictable and an entry into the unknown with the weather playing a major role in heightening things.

Mercedes and RedBull were predicted hot favorites for victory with an outside chance for Ferrari after practice and qualifying sessions, but surprisingly it was Lotus which emerged victorious at the end of the day with a two stop strategy against Ferrari and RedBull.

The 2013 opener started with polesitter Vettel slinging into the lead while team mate Webber mugged enabling the Ferraris of Massa and Alonso to take advantage of Hamilton who was soon overtaken by Kimi Raikkonen. Hulkenberg did not start the race due to a fuel system problem on the Sauber.

Button and Webber were the first to pit on Lap 5 and soon followed Massa, Vettel and Alonso in the following laps while Kimi, Hamilton, Rosberg and Sutil remained on track as much as possible. The race lead shifted to the Kimi, Hamilton and then to Sutil in the Force India who hung on to it with old tryes to pull out a gap on Vettel's Red Bull with fresher tyres. By lap 21 Sutil made his first pitstop from the lead along with Vettel who was doing his second stop and the Force India managed to stay in front of the RedBull coming out of the pits. At C1, Sutil had to concede his position to Alonso who was on a hot lap having pitted few laps earlier and soon Vettel followed suit. Meanwhile at the front Massa pitted for the second stop handing the lead to Raikkonen.

Maldonado on the Williams was the first to retire at Lap 25 as he went off track on C1 into the gravel and soon followed Nico Rosberg who parked his Mercedes into retirement on Lap 27 due to an electrical issue on Turn 4 while team radios started to warn their drivers of a possible light rain in some parts of the track.

Raikonnen pitted for the second time on Lap 34 while Vettel and Alonso pitted for the third time in lap 38 and 39 respectively handing the lead to Sutil once again.

By Lap 44 Raikkonen overtook Sutil for the race lead and the Force India driver is forced for new set of tyres after being overtaken by Alonso's Ferrari. The leader started to pull away from Alonso after loosing couple of seconds in duel with Sutil and seemed in control of the race with 10 laps to go.

After a short ease of pace to preserve the tyres, Raikkonen once again picked up speed at the closing stages of the race and took the chequered flag with a 12.3secs lead. Alonso in 2nd was followed by Vettel and Massa. Hamilton and Webber managed to better over Sutil, who was on the ill performing supersofts.

Di Resta on the other Force India started to close on team mate Sutil but the latter managed to hang on to 7th while Jenson Button on the McLaren came in 9th just ahead Grosjean on the other Lotus.

Perez on the other McLaren was 11th and Vergne on the Torro Rosso was 12th while home boy Danie Ricciardo on second Torro Rosso retired from the race.

Guiterrez emerged as the top rookie in Australia on the Sauber coming home 13th with Bottas finishing with the Williams at 14th. Bianchi (Marussia), Pic (Caterham), Chilton (Marussia)and V D Gar( Caterham) were the tail enders to take the chequered flag.

The next race is at Sepang, Malaysia in just 7days.