2007 Australian Grand Prix

2007 Australian Grand Prix
Race 1 of 17 in the 2007 Formula One World Championship
Race details
Date	18 March 2007
Official name	2007 Formula 1 ING 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	Clear with temperatures reaching up to 21 °C (70 °F)[1]
Attendance	105,000[2]
Pole position
Driver	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
Time	1:26.072
Fastest lap
Driver	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
Time	1:25.235 on lap 41
Podium
First	Kimi Räikkönen	Ferrari
Second	Fernando Alonso	McLaren-Mercedes
Third	Lewis Hamilton	McLaren-Mercedes
Lap leaders

The 2007 Australian Grand Prix (officially the 2007 Formula 1 ING Australian Grand Prix)^[3] was a Formula One motor race held on 18 March 2007 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the first race of the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship. The 58 lap race was won by Kimi Räikkönen for the Ferrari team after starting from pole position. Fernando Alonso finished second in a McLaren car, with teammate and future 7-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton third on his Grand Prix debut.

Räikkönen started the race alongside Alonso, but in the start Alonso was passed by BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld and Hamilton, who started third and fourth. Räikkönen controlled the race from the front of the field, with Alonso regaining second place after overtaking Hamilton during the second round of pit stops.

The Grand Prix was also the first Grand Prix since 2000 Malaysian Grand Prix where all Formula One entrants utilized Bridgestone tyres as Michelin quit the sport after the 2006 season.