Hamilton victorious in Melbourne

Lewis Hamilton got his bid for the 2008 Formula One world championship off to the perfect start with victory in a frenetic Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The McLaren driver dominated from pole position, overcoming three safety car periods as only seven cars made it to the end of the 58-lap race, to take the chequered flag 5.4 seconds ahead of BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld.

Nico Rosberg finished an impressive third for Williams but it was a disastrous day for Ferrari as both Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa failed to finish.

Having come out on top in Saturday's qualifying session, Hamilton made a clean getaway from pole position as the lack of traction control proved little problem for the 23-year-old, before moving across the track to cover the inside line and keep Robert Kubica at bay on the way into the first corner.

The Pole was on his tail through the first chicane before the safety car was deployed after Giancarlo Fisichella was launched into the air, ending the Italian's race.

The first corner problems also saw Massa pit after depositing his Ferrari into the barrier as he lost out in a battle for third with Heikki Kovalainen, while four other cars including Jenson Button's Honda and Anthony Davidson in the Super Aguri, were forced to retire.

The main beneficiary was Raikkonen, who had managed to move his Ferrari up to eight having started a disappointing 15th on the grid.

After the safety car came in at the end of lap two, Hamilton put his foot down and quickly established a commanding lead over Kubica, setting fastest laps in quick succession to open up a 7.6-second gap by lap nine. Massa, meanwhile, had managed to rejoin the race but well down the field.

Kubica pitted at the end of lap 16 and slipped down to fourth, before Hamilton made his first stop the following lap and rejoined in fourth behind Heidfeld.

Raikkonen, meanwhile, had got the bit between his teeth and was hounding Rubens Barrichello, attempting one pass down the outside of turn three before eventually getting his man down the inside at the same place to claim sixth.