F1 2014 standings after Australian Grand Prix
Nico Rosberg has taken the early lead in the 2014 F1 world championship standings following a comfortable victory in the Australian Grand Prix.
The German seized the lead into the first turn and, with Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton retiring just three laps in, remained unchallenged through the remainder of the race. Despite the appearance of the safety car to clear debris from the track, Rosberg was able to open out another lead over the field, extending it throughout to eventually come home 24secs clear of Daniel Ricciardo.
The Australian also jumped Hamilton at the start and was able to resist late-race pressure from McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen to claim second spot - his first F1 podium and the first for an Australian in Australia.
Magnussen appeared to have claimed the final podium spot on his first appearance as an F1 driver, but Ricciardo's subsequent exclusion from the result promoted the Dane to second, while McLaren team-mate Jenson Button came through to inherit third after benefitting from good pit strategy. Their combined results were enough to put McLaren at the top of the constructors' standings.
Fernando Alonso initially finished where he started, before being promoted to fourth, while Valtteri Bottas battled back from a grid penalty and then a brush with the wall to be classified fifth. The Finn passed Nico Hulkenberg late on, leaving the German ahead of Kimi Raikkonen, while Toro Rosso twins Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniil Kvyat both scored - the Russian taking ninth place on his debut.
Force India's Sergio Perez was the lucky recipient of the final point when Ricciardo was thrown out, doubling the number of Force India scorers.
F1 world championship standings (AMENDED after round 1 of 19)
Drivers
Nico RosbergMercedes25 pointsKevin MagnussenMcLaren18Jenson ButtonMcLaren15Fernando AlonsoFerrari12Valtteri BottasWilliams10Nico HulkenbergForce India8Kimi RaikkonenFerrari6Jean-Eric VergneToro Rosso4Daniil KvyatToro Rosso2Sergio Perez Force India 1
Constructors
McLaren33 pointsMercedes25Ferrari18Williams10Force India9Toro Rosso6
