Vettel wins after leapfrogging Hamilton in pits
Hamilton second, Bottas third
Grosjean, Palmer, Ericsson out
Ricciardo, Stroll, Alonso also retired
Image source, Getty ImagesThe finger is back! And with it, the prospect of a fight between two teams for this year's title.
Is the era of Mercedes dominance at an end? Let's see what the next race brings.
That's in China in two weeks' time. Join us again then.
Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas, who finished third: "I was expecting a little better, but it was a decent start. The main question mark for me was the first stint where I didn't have the pace and was sliding about by the end. I was closing up on Lewis but when you get within a couple of seconds you lose the pace in the corners, more so that last year.
"It is going to be a big challenge from Ferrari."
More from race winner Sebastian Vettel: "It is March, you know. All that matters now is we had a great race and it is a great relief for everyone. We did our job, we focused on ourselves and putting it together we had a good feeling driving it.
"It is massive for the team. A massive achievement but it does not stop there. It is just the beginning.
"The spirit is good inside the team."
Just before we go, a final few words from Lewis Hamilton, who said in pre-season that he felt Ferrari are favourites for the title.
"I'm not a liar or a bluffer when I said that Ferrari were quick," he said. "I didn't know for sure how quick they were going to be in the race, but their pace on the super softs especially was great.
"I executed the strategy only stopping a lap before I intended. I had used up all the money in those tyres.
"I don't know what it was like to watch, but I want to see the cars close up. It is really through strategy that we are racing which is a little..."
Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer in Melbourne
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel beat Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes in a straight fight as Formula 1's new era started at the Australian Grand Prix.
Vettel's first win since the Singapore GP in September 2015 was final proof Mercedes' domination is over after the introduction of faster cars.
Hamilton started in pole but Vettel had an advantage on pace and tyre wear.
The German pressured Mercedes into an early pit stop and benefited when Hamilton was held up by Max Verstappen.
Ferrari were simply quicker in Melbourne and the world champions were forced into a position where they had to make a decision that did not work out.
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Denislov Lietnev: Hamilton is a good sport and genuinely relishes the battles ahead with Vettel for the championship.
Natalie Crown: Vettel should have won last year and we should keep that in mind BUT this was a VERY impressive win that didn't rely on Merc failing
Image source, Getty ImagesI am sure Sebastian Vettel could get used to seeing this view.
Image source, Rex FeaturesFernando Alonso threatened to finish inside the points until retiring in the final couple of laps, and he's still not enthused about McLaren's prospects this season.
"We had suspension failure I think at the end," he told Sky Sports. "I was driving one of my best races so far and we were surprisingly in the points all race long.
"We are last in terms of performance. We were 10th because the qualifying lap yesterday was good, at the start I managed to gain one position and then Grosjean's retirement gave us the other one. In normal conditions on a normal circuit we should be last and second last."
Nico Rosberg certainly enjoyed watching the action unfold from the sofa.
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BBC Radio 5 live
One for Sebastian Vettel to savour. A first race win since Singapore 2015 for the German.
Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel takes victory in Melbourne ahead of Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.
Tom Clarkson
BBC Radio 5 live commentator
Image source, Getty ImagesI think that Mercedes just need to keep calm. After last year, they are unused to the pressure from outside and Ferrari forced their hand.
The other question that they might be asking in the debrief is why Hamilton failed to put any heat under Vettel in the closing stages.
Was there a technical problem? Was Hamilton told just to ease it home to preserve the power unit for later in the season? Or did Hamilton lose heart?
A day to remember for Sebastian Vettel, but one to forget for Daniel Ricciardo, who retired in his home race.
"The most frustrating thing was for all these things to happen at home," he said. "I don't put it down to anything other than the mistake I made in qualifying. We had an issue in the warm up lap and a separate issue in the race. Just bad luck I guess. I can still win 19 races, that's the plan.
"I think the car is better than we are showing but it is a bit of a puzzle we are trying to work out. I hope we can find the pace soon enough.
"Let's go to China!"
Image source, AP
Image source, Rex FeaturesIt has been a bit of time since Sebastian Vettel last cracked open the winner's bubbly and it shows...
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Image source, F1.comFerrari top of the constructors' championship and drivers' championship.
It's been a while...
David Tunnicliffe: Why are lots of people saying there is a championship battle in F1? Vettel should have won here last season too..
David Milner: What a race? One major position change thanks to single round of pits. Merc not winning doesn't instantly herald better things for F1
Image source, Rex FeaturesSome more from race winner Sebastian Vettel: "There is a long way to go, but we are just over the moon at the moment. I was not entirely happy with my start, there was a bit of wheelslip, but I was trying to keep the pressure on to give the message that we are here to fight. There was a bit of luck that Lewis came out in traffic.
"You can push these cars until the end. The tyres still degrade but you can still attack all the way."