Kimi, it looked like a walk in Albert Park this afternoon; what a fantastic day for you!
Kimi Raikkonen: Yeah. The weekend has been very good, so thanks to the team. Today the race was not as easy as it might have looked. Just before the start my radio broke so I didn't have a radio the whole race so it was a bit complicated but at least before the race we had a plan what we wanted to do so I knew pretty much what I was meant to do, but in some places it wasn't an ideal situation. Anyhow, it was a good race for us. I didn't have to push too hard, just have to pace myself a bit and look what the others were doing: an excellent start.
The two guys either side of you were racing each other at the start, giving you a bit of a break on the opening lap.
<b>KR:</b> Yeah, but I don't think it made much difference in the end. We were quite quick so I didn't have to push. Maybe it helped on the first laps that I didn't have to push as hard as I could have. But as I said, the car was perfect all day and in the end we were just bringing it home.
Well, you set fastest lap but we also saw you have a bit of a moment at turn three towards the end of the race; talk us through that.
<b>KR:</b> I just locked a wheel. I was looking at something else, not putting in too much effort. It was my mistake completely I was following another car but fortunately it didn't cost me too much.
It is your first win for over a year; what are your thoughts and emotions about that?
<b>KR:</b> Of course, it's always nice to come to the first race and win straight away. I've never done that before. We've had good races here before, but we've never been able to win. With a new team, with everything basically new this year, it's the ideal way to start the season. The car is very strong. I think the atmosphere in the team is perfect and the people are really making my life very good and easy. I really enjoy it. As I say, it's a perfect way (to start the season) and I hope we can keep it up.
Fernando, a great result for you too in your first race for the team.
Fernando Alonso: Yeah, absolutely. I think it's been a good weekend, and I think we have to be pleased with the final result as well. I think the Ferraris were a little bit too quick today for us. We have to take maximum points that we can from Australia and second place is a good place to start the season. For sure, we have to work a little bit more if we want to win races but as I said to the team, today we proved that we are here to win, not to race only and relax. We saw a good potential in the team today, and I'm looking forward to the next race.
And a lot of speed from your younger teammate. He overtook you at the start of the race and you spent much of the race following him.
FA: Yeah, it was a very strange start, not very good, and I saw Nick Heidfeld coming from the outside, so I was a little bit more concentrated on him than the corner itself. I realised a little bit later that I was fourth, unfortunately, and from there I didn't have the possibility to push during the race. Sometimes I was closer to Lewis, sometimes I left some space so as not to overheat the car and the people who we were lapping were a little bit inconsistent so we were up and down all through the race. I was lucky to overtake him in the second pit stop. It's true that it has been a good fight, as I always seem to have had with my teammates here in Australia. I remember Fisichella winning races here, it's very interesting for the people.
Lewis, the best debut performance for an Englishman since Mike Parkes at the French Grand Prix in 1966, and you led your first Grand Prix as well.
Lewis Hamilton: It has been fantastic, and as you say, to lead my first Grand Prix was a fantastic feeling. It was extremely tough. I had Fernando behind me for a long time, and it's pretty tough when you have the two-time World Champion behind you in your first race but I must say the team has done a fantastic job, pre-season, preparing the car, not only the team here but back at the factory they have been working day and night to get the car ready and it was great. A bit unfortunate at the second stop (to lose the position). I think the stop went fine but back-markers were pretty tough but it was all a new experience for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Talk us through that first corner when you managed to pass Fernando.
LH: I got a pretty decent start. I think people probably got the exact same start but the BMWs seemed to be extremely quick off the grid and Robert Kubica got past me. But there was no way I could stay on the inside so I dived back to the left and managed to outbrake near enough everyone and managed to gain a couple of places. From there on it went pretty smoothly.
So how did you feel there, leading Fernando and then taking the lead. How did it feel in your debut race doing that?
LH: Well, it's pretty much like that every time you're in that position in a race, whether it's your teammate… you're leading the race or you're trying to catch the guy in front. It's extremely intense, you've got to make sure you make no mistakes – and for sure, I did make a few mistakes in this one – but again, it's another new experience. But as I said, I'm ecstatic to be here, a podium for my first race, I couldn't be more happy.
