| 2012 Australian Grand Prix | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race 1 of 20 in the 2012 Formula One World Championship
| |||||
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| Race details | |||||
| Date | 18 March 2012 | ||||
| Official name | 2012 Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix | ||||
| Location | Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia | ||||
| Course | Temporary street circuit | ||||
| Course length | 5.303 km (3.295 miles) | ||||
| Distance | 58 laps, 307.574 km (191.118 miles) | ||||
| Weather |
Fine[1] Air Temp 22 °C (72 °F)[1] Track Temp 30 °C (86 °F) dropping to 22 °C (72 °F)[1] | ||||
| Attendance | 114,900[2] | ||||
| Pole position | |||||
| Driver | McLaren-Mercedes | ||||
| Time | 1:24.922 | ||||
| Fastest lap | |||||
| Driver |
 Jenson Button | McLaren-Mercedes | |||
| Time | 1:29.187 on lap 56 | ||||
| Podium | |||||
| First | McLaren-Mercedes | ||||
| Second | Red Bull-Renault | ||||
| Third | McLaren-Mercedes | ||||
|
Lap leaders | |||||
The 2012 Australian Grand Prix (formally, the 2012 Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix)[3] was a Formula One motor race held on 18 March 2012[4] as the opening round of the 2012 Formula One season. It was the 77th race in the combined history of the Australian Grand Prix that dates back to the 100 Miles Road Race of 1928, and the 17th time the event has been held at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit at Albert Park.
The 58-lap race was won by McLaren driver Jenson Button who took his third victory at the Albert Park Circuit. Reigning double World Champion Sebastian Vettel, driving for Red Bull Racing, finished in second place, while polesitter and Button's McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton completed the podium.[5][6]
Australian Mark Webber was fourth, his best result in his home Grand Prix.[7] Webber's fourth place was the best finish by an Australian in an Australian Grand Prix since Alfredo Costanzo finished fourth in 1984, the last time the race was run under Australian domestic rules before becoming a round of the World Championship in 1985.
- ^ a b c "2012 Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix (Race)". f1standings.net. F1Standings. 18 March 2012. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ "Australian F1 GP (d4)". austadiums.com. AUSTRALIAN STADIUMS & SPORT. 18 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ "AGPC announces Qantas to continue as title rights sponsor for 2012 Formula 1 Qantas Australian Grand Prix". grandprix.com.au. Australian Grand Prix. 23 February 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
- ^ Collantine, Keith (7 December 2011). "United States Grand Prix remains on unchanged 2012 F1 calendar". F1 Fanatic. Keith Collantine. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
- ^ Cary, Tom (18 March 2012). "Jenson Button wins opening race of the season for McLaren in Melbourne". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ Benson, Andrew (18 March 2012). "Jenson Button wins Australian Grand Prix for McLaren". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
- ^ "Button wins Australian GP, Webber fourth". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australian Associated Press. 18 March 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2012.