First blood Ferrari; heartbreak for Haas

Michelle Foster

An opportunistic victory for Sebastian Vettel, despair for Haas and the Honda engine blows up…again. It’s the start of the 2018 season…

It’s Sunday, race day Down Under, and time to wake up and climb out of the covers, cars included…

A ‘happy’ Fernando Alonso walking into 2018 believing that this year there’ll be “more in attacking mode” from McLaren and new engine partner Renault.

Class photo time…

Hopefully not a sign of things to come for Vettel and Ferrari…

The Formula 1 2018 season then officially got underway…

Kevin Magnussen got the jump on Max Verstappen at the start, before a costly spin saw the Dutchman lose valuable places.

But delight for Haas soon turned to despair as both drivers were forced to retire soon after their pit-stops.

Grosjean’s stoppage brought out the VSC and then the Safety Car, in between those, Vettel got ahead of his major rival Hamilton.

It set up a tense, tight finish with Hamilton trying desperately to hunt down the Ferrari…

But Vettel stood firm and stole the victory in Melbourne, drawing first blood in the 2018 title race.