Rankings - 25th March

Sergio Perez's brilliant second place meant that the young Mexican jumped from 20th to 18th place, while the was some more movement below him in the rankings. Jean-Eric Vergne's 8th place meant his moves from 38th to 32nd, while Bruno Senna jumps from 26th to 23rd. The top 8 remained the same, but Schumacher retook ninth place of Adrian Sutil, and now has his eyes set on former team mate Rubens Barrichello in Eighth.

Here is the new rankings after the brilliant Malaysian GP.

Pos - Driver - Points - Pre Rank
1 - Sebastian Vettel - 3956 - 1
2 - Mark Webber - 2741.5 - 2
3 - Lewis Hamilton - 2408 - 3
4 - Jenson Button - 2325.5 - 4
5 - Fernando Alonso - 2032.5 - 5
6 - Felipe Massa - 1026 - 6
7 - Nico Rosberg - 935.5 - 7
8 - Rubens Barrichello - 711 - 8
9 - Michael Schumacher - 631.5 - 10
10 - Adrian Sutil - 622 - 9
11 - Vitaly Petrov - 513 - 11
12 - Kamui Kobayashi - 468.5 - 12
13 - Jaime Alguersuari - 455 - 13
14 - Sebastian Beumi - 446 - 14
15 - Paul Di Resta - 408 - 16
16 - Robert Kubica - 403 - 15
17 - Nick Heidfeld - 351 - 17
18 - Sergio Perez - 308 - 20
19 - Jarno Trulli - 306 - 18
20 - Heikki Kovalainen - 297 - 19
21 - Kimi Raikkonen - 251.5 - 23
22 - Timo Glock - 239 - 21
23 - Bruno Senna - 187 - 26
24 - Nico Hulkenberg - 186.5 - 25
25 - Pastor Maldonado - 186 - 22
26 - Vitantonio Liuzzi - 164 - 24
27 - Giancarlo Fisichella - 89 - 27
28 - Pedro De La Rosa - 84 - 28
29 - Jerome D'Ambrosio - 82 - 29
30 - Daniel Ricciardo - 74 - 30
31 - Kazuki Nakajima - 55.5 - 31
32 - Jean-Eric Vergne - 46 - 38
33 - Karun Chandhok - 35 - 32
34 - Lucas Di Grassi - 34 - 33
34 - Romain Grosjean - 34 - 33
36 - Narain Karthikeyan - 32 - 35
36 - Nelson Piquet Jnr - 32  - 35
38 - Sebastian Bourdais - 29 - 37
39 - Sakon Yamamoto - 18 - 39
40 - Charles Pic - 14 - 40
41 - Luca Badoer - 5.5 - 41
42 - Christian Klien - 1- 42

Rankings - 18th March

Sebastian Vettel stays as the Number 1 ranked driver, though it is closing behind hom. Jenson Button's victory means he is closing the gap on team mate Lewi Hamilton. There is also going to be a tussle for a top 10 spot. With Rubens Barriello and Adrian Sutil not in a race seat this year, 2 spaces will open up in the near future. Petrov will not be the favourite due to his move down the grid to Caterham. So that leaves Kobayshi in pole position, with the next driver with a current seat, being Paul Di Resta, who is around 80 points behind.

Here is the new rankings after the first race of the season.

Pos - Driver - Points - Pre Rank 
1 - Sebastian Vettel - 3936 - 1
2 - Mark Webber - 2691.5 - 2
3 - Lewis Hamilton - 2298 - 3
4 - Jenson Button - 2281.5 - 4
5 - Fernando Alonso - 1932.5 - 5
6 - Felipe Massa - 1014 - 6
7 - Nico Rosberg - 919.5 - 7
8 - Rubens Barrichello - 711 - 8
9 - Adrian Sutil - 622 - 9
10 - Michael Schumacher - 589.5 - 10
11 - Vitaly Petrov - 503 - 11
12 - Kamui Kobayashi - 468.5 - 14
13 - Jaime Alguersuari - 455 - 12
14 - Sebastian Buemi - 446 - 13
15 - Robert Kubica - 403 - 15
16 - Paul DiResta - 380 - 16
17 - Nick Heidfeld - 351 - 17
18 - Jarno Trulli - 306 - 18
19 - Heikki Kovalainen - 291 - 19
20 - Sergio Perez - 248 - 20
21 - Timo Glock - 231 - 21
22 - Pastor Maldonado - 182 - 23
23 - Kimi Raikkonen - 177.5 - 25
24 - Vitantonio Liuzzi - 164 - 22
25 - Nico Hulkenberg - 162.5 - 23
26 - Bruno Senna - 157 - 26
27 - Giancarlo Fisichella - 89 - 27
28 - Pedro De La Rosa - 84 - 28
29 - Jerome D'Ambrosio - 82 - 29
30 - Daniel Ricciardo - 56 - 33
31 - Kazuki Nakajima - 55.5 - 30
32 - Karun Chandhok - 35 - 31
33 - Lucas Di Grassi - 34 - 32
33 - Romain Grosjean - 34 - 38
35 - Narain Karthikeyan - 32 - 33
35 - Nelson Piquet Jnr - 32 - 33
37 - Sebastian Bourdais - 29 - 36
38 - Jean-Eric Vergne - 20 - NEW
39 - Sakon Yamamoto - 18 - 37
40 - Charles Pic - 12 - NEW
41 - Luca Badoer - 5.5 - 39
42 - Christian Klien - 1 - 40

2012 Australian Grand Prix - Free Practice

Jenson Button, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton got the best start to the season by topping the three Free Practice sessions before the first race of 2012. The McLarens scored a 1-2 on Friday morning, but in the afternoon, Michael Schumacher drove faster, beating Hulkenberg and Perez. On Saturday, McLaren got to the top again with Lewis Hamilton, with Romain Grosjean taking a surprise second place.

First Practice
Pos - Driver - Team - Rank
1 - Jenson Button - McLaren - 4
2 - Lewis Hamilton - McLaren - 3
3 - Michael Schumacher - Mercedes - 10
4 - Fernando Alonso - Ferrari - 5
5 - Mark Webber - Red Bull - 2
6 - Nico Rosberg - Mercedes - 7
7 - Daniel Ricciardo - Toro Rosso - 33
8 - Pastor Maldonado - Williams - 23
9 - Kimi Raikkonen - Lotus - 25
10 - Kamui Kobayashi - Sauber - 14
11 - Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull - 1
12 - Nico Hulkenberg - Force India - 23
13 - Paul Di Resta - Force India - 16
14 - Bruno Senna - Williams - 26
15 - Sergio Perez - Sauber - 20
16 - Romain Grosjean - Lotus - 28
17 - Heikki Kovalainen - Caterham - 19
18 - Felipe Massa - Ferrari - 6
19 - Jean-Eric Vergne - Toro Rosso - 41
20 - Vitaly Petrov - Caterham - 11
21 - Timo Glock - Marussia - 21
22 - Charles Pic - Marussia - 41
23 - Narain Karthikeyan - HRT - 33
24 - Pedro De La Rosa - HRT - 28

Second Practice
Pos - Driver - Team - Rank
1 - Michael Schumacher - Mercedes - 10
2 - Nico Hulkenberg - Force India - 23
3 - Sergio Perez - Sauber - 20
4 - Fernando Alonso - Ferrari - 5
5 - Kamui Kobayashi - Sauber - 14
6 - Paul Di Resta - Force India - 16
7 - Felipe Massa - Ferrari - 6
8 - Heikki Kovalainen - Caterham - 19
9 - Nico Rosberg - Mercedes - 7
10 - Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull - 1
11 - Mark Webber - Red Bull - 2
12 - TImo Glock - Marussia - 21
13 - Vitaly Petrov - Caterham - 11
14 - Romain Grosjean - Lotus - 38
15 - Jenson Button - McLaren - 4
16 - Lewis Hamilton - McLaren - 3
17 - Pastor Maldonado - Williams - 23
18 - Kimi Raikkonen - Lotus - 25
19 - Bruno Senna - Williams - 26
20 - Jean-Eric Vergne - Toro Rosso - 41
21 - Daniel Ricciardo - Toro Rosso - 33
22 - Charles Pic - Marussia - 41
23 - Narain Karthikeyan - HRT - 33
24 - Pedro De La Rosa - HRT -  28

Third Practice
Pos - Driver - Team - Rank
1 - Lewis Hamilton - McLaren - 3
2 - Romain Grosjean - Lotus - 38
3 - Mark Webber - Red Bull - 2
4 - Jenson Button - McLaren - 4
5 - Nico Rosberg - Mercedes - 7
6 - Michael Schumacher - Mercedes - 10
7 - Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull - 1
8 - Pastor Maldonado - Williams - 23
9 - Sergio Perez - Sauber - 20
10 - Daniel Ricciardo - Toro Rosso - 33
11 - Jean-Eric Vergne - Tor Rosso - 41
12 - Kimi Raikkonen - Lotus - 25
13 - Kamui Kobayashi - Sauber - 14
14 - Nico Hulkenberg - Force India - 23
15 - Bruno Senna - Williams - 26
16 - Fernando Alonso - Ferrari - 5
17 - Paul Di Resta - Force India - 16
18 - Felipe Massa - Ferrari - 6
19 - Heikki Kovalainen - Caterham - 19
20 - Vitaly Petrov - Caterham - 11
21 - Timo Glock - Marussia - 21
22 - Charles Pic - Marussia - 41
23 - Pedro De La Rosa - HRT - 28
24 - Narain Karthikeyan - HRT - 33

2012 Australian Grand Prix - Preview

2012 Australian Grand Prix
Albert Park, Melbourne



3.30 Miles per Lap
191.071 Miles
16 Corners
58 Laps



Last 5 Winners
2011 : Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull
2010 : Jenson Button - McLaren
2009 : Jenson Button - Brawn
2008 : Lewis Hamilton - McLaren
2007 : Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari

Track Stats
Most Wins : Michael Schumacher - 4
Most Podiums : Michael Schumacher - 6
Fastest Lap : Michael Schumacher - 124.125

Driver Stats

• It is set to be Maldonado's, DiResta's and Perez's 20th carer race.
• Sebastian Vettel needs one more Fastest Lap to take his tally to ten.
• Lewis Hamilton is after his 20th Pole Position.
• It will be the first time in 327 races that a Barrichello will not be on the grid.
• There is a Frenchman on the grid for the first time since the 2009 Abu Dhabi GP, and the last time there were three French drivers on the grid was the 1999 Brazilian GP starring Alesi, Panis & Sarrazin.

Weather
Friday :
Saturday :
Sunday :

Last Time
Sebastian Vettel eased to victory at the first race of last season. He took pole sitter Lewis Hamilton at the first corner, and was very really bothered for the rest of the race. Hamilton took second, ahead of a surprise Vitaly Petrov in third. Sauber tried to pull-off a one-stopper, succeeding wonderfully, with Perez finishing seventh, and Kobayashi ending up in eighth place. However, they were disqualified after the race for an illegal car. This pushed Paul Di Resta up to tenth place, to take his first World Championship Points on his debut.

This Time
As is usual for the first race of the season, the results are always a surprise. Whether it be a different car on the podium, as Rosberg & Petrov have done in previous seasons, or whether it will be a different winner, like Jenson Button in 2009. The only guarantee is that there will be plenty of action, a lot of talk on new rules, with probably a disputed part on one of the leading cars. It will also be the chance for the new drivers to show what they have got, as they start to build their F1 careers.