In Pictures: Formula One’s season-opener

The Lotus driver came from seventh on the starting grid to take the race from Ferrari(***)s Fernando Alonso and Red Bull world champion Sebastian Vettel.

The win marks the 20th GP triumph for the Finn, who won the 2007 world championship with Ferrari before taking two years out to compete in rallying.

Lotus Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland drives in the pit lane during the Australian F1 Grand Prix at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne

Raikkonen stopped for two tyre changes compared to three by his rivals: "We knew that if the front tyres were lasting we would be fine. I was confident, but you have to get through the start and the first lap and it(***)s the first race so you never know what(***)s going to happen."

Red Bull Formula One driver Vettel of Germany performs a pit stop during the Australian F1 Grand Prix at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne

Meanwhile, 2012 champion Sebastian Vettel, who had the fastest car from qualifying and started off the pole, said tyre degradation cost him his chance of victory.

Ferrari’s Alonso was pleased to get on the podium after difficult starts in the previous two seasons: "This year it feels very different and we feel much more optimistic and the car is responding well, we are competitive, so we have a very interesting season ahead of us."

And it wasn’t a bad start for 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton, racing for the first time with Mercedes after leaving McLaren. He finished in fifth and said the result was better than expected.