Sport: Australian grand prix

The drivers pose in their team pairings before the first race of the 2009 season. Jenson Button started in pole position, with defending champion Lewis Hamilton down in 18th Photograph: Rick Rycroft/AP

Button leaves the field in his wake going into turn one, after team-mate Rubens Barrichello stalled on the grid Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

Barrichello then sparks a multi-car pile-up by running into the side of Mark Webber's Red Bull Photograph: Daniel Munoz/REUTERS

Avoiding the early confusion, Hamilton moves quickly up the field, here pursuing Toyota's Jarno Trulli Photograph: Rick Rycroft/AP

Button's serene progress continues after the deployment of the safety car on lap 18 Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Renault's Nelson Piquet slides off on lap 24 Photograph: GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images

Sebastian Vettel continues to track Button, but third-placed Robert Kubica is the driver setting the pace. However, Kubica and Vettel collide with just a few laps to go, Vettel's Red Bull car shown here Photograph: Darren McNamara/AP

Kubica's Sauber crashes into a barrier moments later to end the Pole's hopes of overhauling Button Photograph: Scott Wensley/REUTERS

Button takes the chequered flag at Albert Park Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Despite finishing fourth, Hamilton is promoted to third after Trulli receives a time penalty, helping to dispel some of the early-season gloom at McLaren Photograph: Crispin Thruston/Action Images

Button shows his joy on the podium Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Button holds aloft the winner's trophy – marking only the second grand prix victory of his career Photograph: Jens Buettner/EPA

Ross Brawn takes to the podium to congratulate his drivers after a stunning debut for Brawn GP Photograph: Mick Tsikas/Reuters

The Brawn team, forged from the ashes of Honda, celebrate turning the established order on its head in Melbourne Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images