2008 Australian Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 18 in the 2008 Formula One season | |||
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| Date | 16 March 2008 | ||
| Official name | LXXIII ING Australian Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia | ||
| Course | Temporary street circuit | ||
| Course length | 5.303 km (3.295 mi) | ||
| Distance | 58 laps, 307.574 km (191.118 mi) | ||
| Weather | Sunny | ||
| Attendance | 108,000 | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | McLaren-Mercedes | ||
| Time | 1:26.714 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Heikki Kovalainen
|
McLaren-Mercedes | |
| Time | 1:27.418 on lap 43 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | McLaren-Mercedes | ||
| Second | BMW Sauber | ||
| Third | Williams-Toyota | ||
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The 2008 Australian Grand Prix (formally the LXXIII ING Australian Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held on 16 March 2008 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the first race of the 2008 Formula One season. The 58 lap race was won by Lewis Hamilton for the McLaren team after starting from pole position. Nick Heidfeld finished second in a BMW Sauber car, with Nico Rosberg third in a Williams, his first ever F1 podium.
The race saw a very high rate of attrition, with only seven cars out of the 22-car grid running at the chequered flag – which reduced from seven to six after Rubens Barrichello's disqualification – with two other drivers being classified as they had completed at least 90% of the 307.574 km race distance in order for classification.
The Grand Prix was contested by 22 drivers, in 11 teams of two. The teams, also known as "constructors", were Ferrari, McLaren-Mercedes, Renault, Honda, Force India, BMW Sauber, Toyota, Red Bull Racing, Williams, Toro Rosso and Super Aguri.
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