2011 Australian Grand Prix
The 2011 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 27 March 2011 at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne. It was the 76th race in the combined history of the Australian Grand Prix that dates back to the 100 Miles Road Race of 1928. Originally planned as the second race of the 2011 Formula One season, it became the season opener with the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix due to civil unrest in the country.
Sergio Pérez made his Grand Prix début with Sauber.
Narain Karthikeyan at the wheel of one of the Hispania F111s. Karthikeyan and team-mate Vitantonio Liuzzi failed to qualify for the race as they were outside 107% of Sebastian Vettel's time in the first part of qualifying.
Lewis Hamilton was Sebastian Vettel's closest challenger all weekend finishing 22 seconds off the lead.
Felipe Massa had a disappointing race, and finished down in ninth place (which became seventh after the race, due to the Saubers' disqualification).
2011 Formula One World Championship
The 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 65th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. The original calendar for the 2011 Formula One World Championship consisted of twenty rounds, including the inaugural running of the Indian Grand Prix before the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Pirelli returned to the sport as tyre supplier for all teams, taking over from Bridgestone, marking their return to Formula One for the first time since the 1991 season. Red Bull Racing was the reigning Constructors' Champion. Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel was the defending Drivers' Champion, one of five World Champions appearing on the grid. Vettel won his second World Championship at the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver, at 24 years and 98 days, to do so. Red Bull Racing won the Constructors' Championship.
Sebastian Vettel successfully defended his World Championship, eclipsing Fernando Alonso as the youngest double World Champion in Formula One history.
McLaren's Jenson Button came in second behind Vettel by a then record gap of 122 points.
Mark Webber, Vettel's teammate, finished third in the championship for the second season in succession.
The season started with controversy when two teams using the Lotus name were entered onto the grid, Lotus Renault GP (foreground) and Team Lotus (background).