Mat Coch writes:Taking a risk with its new car has paid dividends for McLaren after winning the opening race of the season in Australia. Regulation changes mean that most cars feature a bump on the nose, whereas the McLaren's proboscis is lower and smoother.

Speaking after the race McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh admitted that it looked at the Romanesque nose during development, ultimately deciding to go in another direction. "We looked at the nose thing and we didn't discount it on aesthetics - though that's pretty good grounds I would have thought," he laughed.

"One thing for us is, with those styles of noses, it's too difficult to see out of the cars," he continued. "I don't know how some of the drivers can have their heads at a legal height - I'm not entirely sure they are legal height."

McLaren instead opted for a smooth, sweeping design which has seen many label it as the best looking car on the current grid. It didn't however stop the team questioning its decision not to follow the 'bump' route, according to Whitmarsh. "When everyone turns left, and you turn right, however sure you are about it, however strong a conviction, you must have moments thinking I wonder if we have got this horribly wrong…"

First and third suggests McLaren got it right after Jenson Button steered the MP4-27 to victory chased home by teammate Lewis Hamilton in third. The team dominated qualifying with Hamilton scoring the team's first pole since Korea 2011, and only it's third since 2010.

However, Hamilton was unable to contain his disappointment. "It was just a bit of a tough day," he said.

Getting the better of his teammate at the start, Button enjoyed a better race leading Sebastian Vettel to describe him as "unbeatable."

"Every race you win, as we all know here, is very special," confessed Button. "I think starting the year strong for this team is really important and the last two years have been tricky coming into the first race.

"Victory today puts us in a great position for the next few races and on the right foot."