Vitaly Petrov makes a great start to his second season for Renault by finishing on the podium in the Australian Grand Prix. The Russian showed great pace in qualifying, boosted more by his teammates struggles, and he started the race from sixth position.

He lost places here and there, and gained places too, until eventually he was running in third. In the latter stages of the race, a fiesty Fernando Alonso was chasing him in the Ferrari, but there were not enough laps left for the difference to be made.

Petrov took the position, and gained his first trophy. After the race, he said: "Our two-stop strategy was clearly the right decision and we made it work. I have to say a big thanks to everyone in the team for working so hard and for supporting my over the winter. This result is for all of us and I'm totally ecstatic."