The sun came up on an exciting start to the 2012 F1 season with closely-matched cars in practice and an unpredictable qualifying session.
They also proved a handful to drive – not just the Ferrari, whcich caught out Fernando Alonso in qualifying – but some of the front-runners too, with Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher both going off in practice.
The day ended with McLaren emphatically on top and a delighted Romain Grosjean joining them in the top three.
Here are pictures from final practice and qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Romain Grosjean, Lotus, Melbourne, 2012 Romain Grosjean, Lotus, Melbourne, 2012 Romain Grosjean, Lotus, Melbourne, 2012 Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Melbourne, 2012 Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Melbourne, 2012 Michael Schumacher, Mercedes, Melbourne, 2012 Jenson Button, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Jenson Button, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Jenson Button, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Mark Webber, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Mark Webber, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Mark Webber, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, Melbourne, 2012 Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, Melbourne, 2012 Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, Melbourne, 2012 Sergio Perez, Sauber, Melbourne, 2012 Sergio Perez, Sauber, Melbourne, 2012 Sergio Perez, Sauber, Melbourne, 2012 Mark Webber, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Mark Webber, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Mark Webber, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, Melbourne, 2012 Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, Melbourne, 2012 Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, Melbourne, 2012 Jenson Button, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Jenson Button, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Jenson Button, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, Melbourne, 2012 Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, Melbourne, 2012 Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, Melbourne, 2012 Pedro de la Rosa, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Pedro de la Rosa, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Pedro de la Rosa, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber, Melbourne, 2012 Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Kamui Kobayashi, Sauber, Melbourne, 2012 Vitaly Petrov, Caterham, Melbourne, 2012 Vitaly Petrov, Caterham, Melbourne, 2012 Vitaly Petrov, Caterham, Melbourne, 2012 Paul di Resta, Force India, Melbourne, 2012 Paul di Resta, Force India, Melbourne, 2012 Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, Melbourne, 2012 Narain Karthikeyan, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Narain Karthikeyan, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Narain Karthikeyan, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Pedro de la Rosa, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Pedro de la Rosa, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Pedro de la Rosa, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham, Melbourne, 2012 Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham, Melbourne, 2012 Heikki Kovalainen, Caterham, Melbourne, 2012 Romain Grosjean, Lotus, Melbourne, 2012 Jenson Button, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Narain Karthikeyan, HRT, Melbourne, 2012 Nico Hulkenberg, Force India, Melbourne, 2012 Romain Grosjean, Lotus, Melbourne, 2012 Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Melbourne, 2012 Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, Melbourne, 2012 Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, Melbourne, 2012 Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, Melbourne, 2012 Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Jenson Button, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Jenson Button, McLaren, Melbourne, 2012 Mark Webber, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Mark Webber, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, Melbourne, 2012 Jean-Eric Vergne, Toro Rosso, Melbourne, 2012 Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso, Melbourne, 2012 Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso, Melbourne, 2012 F1 pictures
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Images ?é?® Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo, Lotus F1 Team/LAT, Williams/LAT, McLaren/Hoch Zwei, Mercedes, Daimler/Hoch Zwei, Getty Images/Red Bull, Force India/Sutton, Sauber F1 Team, Caterham/LAT, Marussia, HRT, Pirelli
Pato Milan
17th March 2012, 12:54
Those pics of Webber with the grandstands look great! The Red Bull and the colourful grandstands really makes the picture quite atmospheric, it’s like we are there in the grandstands and feel the real speed of the cars
DamionShadows (@damionshadows)
17th March 2012, 13:35
Can’t complain about not having any Mclaren pics since it’s the first 3 on the page, lol
Jake (@jleigh)
17th March 2012, 14:11
i wouldn’t be surprised if Kieth deliberately waited until he had plenty of pics of the Mclarens before posting the article!
ScuderiaVincero (@scuderiavincero)
17th March 2012, 13:52
Qualifying pics are here!
http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/aww-yea-meme-original.jpg
roadie
17th March 2012, 16:49
No pics of the Williams cars again!
miguelon
17th March 2012, 20:38
i say the same
Sheriff
17th March 2012, 17:19
Any pics of the Mclar…. Oh hang on! ;)
UKFan (@)
17th March 2012, 17:46
The mercedes looks much better in action!
George (@george)
17th March 2012, 18:46
Love the picture of Button coming around the final corner.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
17th March 2012, 19:55
IF you look closely you can see what looks like a piece of duct tape on the HRT brake duct. It’s the one with Karthikeyan in the garage.
Andor
17th March 2012, 23:28
No pictures of the Marussia again… plenty of duck nosed crocodiles though.