Lewis Hamilton wins with ease in Australia as only 11 cars finish

Lewis Hamilton dominated the Australian Grand Prix to get his world title defence off to the perfect start, the BBC reports.

He drove a measured race, controlling the gap to his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg throughout as the team left the rest of the field behind.

Ferrari's improved form was confirmed as new signing Sebastian Vettel took third, beating Williams's Felipe Massa.

Jenson Button achieved his aim of finishing in the slow and unreliable McLaren-Honda but was 11th and last.

The season started in dramatic style as the field lost three cars cars even before the start, in front of a capacity crowd in Albert Park under blue Melbourne skies, the warm sunshine tempered by a cool, strong and blustery wind.

Williams's Valtteri Bottas was ordered not to race by the official doctor after suffering an injured disc in his back in qualifying and spending the night in hospital.

McLaren-Honda's poor reliability struck Kevin Magnussen as he headed around to take his place on the grid, the Dane stopping in a cloud of blue smoke between Turns Five and Six.

Red Bull also lost a car before the start, Daniil Kvyat stopping shortly afterwards, just failing to make it around to the pits after hitting gearbox trouble.

With the absence of the Manor Marussia team, who did not run at all throughout the weekend, that meant just 15 cars took the start.

And another was lost within a few hundred metres, as Lotus's Pastor Maldonado was tagged by Felipe Nasr's Sauber at the first corner and spun into the barriers, bringing out the safety car.

When the race finally started, the excitement ebbed away as Hamilton quickly built a lead and then controlled his pace until the first stops, holding it at about two seconds.

It was the same story after their pit stops, Hamilton allowing an initial 4.6-second lead to reduce to the region of two seconds and holding it there.

Movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger presented the trophies and did the podium interviews, Hamilton telling him: "My team did an amazing job today and it's an incredible feeling to win and also to be here with you, man. I thought you were taller!"

Rosberg said: "I was trying every lap to my maximum and I will do all year. I will give him a big run for his money and hopefully beat him."