Hamilton starts F1 season with Australian title

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 at Melbourne 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.

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.

NHRA

Defending Funny Car series champion Tony Pedregon raced to his first victory of the season, beating Gary Densham in the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals.

Pedregon had a run of 4.921 seconds at 315.27 mph in his Chevy Impala at the Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway to move to fourth in the point standings. Densham’s Impala finished in 4.924 at 309.13.

Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Matt Guidera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won their divisions.