Reigning Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton won his first Australian Grand Prix since 2008 in a cakewalk, with Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo finishing in sixth place – a full lap behind the winner.

Hamilton held off his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg to win by 1.360 seconds at Albert Park, with Sebastian Vettel more than 30 seconds behind in third.

Felipe Massa’s Williams finished fourth, with Sauber’s Felipe Nasr fifth.

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But it was disappointment for Australian hope Ricciardo, whose Red Bull team endured a tough weekend in Melbourne.

Last month during a Top Gear episode, one wag in the audience asked Ricciardo what the back of Hamilton’s car looked like.

The Australian responded by brandishing his middle finger in the general direction of his inquisitor, to the amusement of all.

The trouble for Ricciardo is that this year he may not get close enough to provide an answer.

It was a disappointing weekend for Daniel Ricciardo. Photo: Getty

Ricciardo is supposed to be the antidote to years of Australian disappointment on the F1 stage, and the 25-year-old is as engaging a personality as we’ve seen in motorsport for a while.

But in racing, timing is everything and your equipment is more important than your skill.

He arrived at Red Bull in the aftermath of a 2013 season in which they were untouchable. The only way was down.

And this weekend was a major disappointment. Ricciardo’s teammate Daniil Kvyat’s car couldn’t make it through a warm-up lap, while Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen failed to finish.

Ricciardo lamented the car’s lack of pace post-race.

“I was fighting to get round the Sauber but we just didn’t have the legs,” Ricciardo said.

“There’s just inconsistencies with what I get behind the wheel. Each lap it just fluctuates a bit.

“I think that’s the most surprising thing: winter (testing) was a lot better than last year but in terms of pace it’s … we’re not one second off, it’s more two, two-and-a-half seconds off.”

In truth the opening race of the 2015 was a bit of a fizzer.

It’s early days, but Mercedes look unstoppable. That was the word out of pre-season testing and there was nothing seen in Melbourne that suggests otherwise.

When one thinks of dominant Formula One teams, the McLaren of 1988, the Williams of 1992 and the Ferrari of 2002 spring to mind.

And of course, Mercedes dominated last season after a raft of regulation changes left them in pole position.

It looks as though the rest of F1 will be playing catch-up for the foreseeable future.

Carnage – before the race started

There was chaos in pit lane before the race even began.

Valtteri Bottas withdrew prior to the start because of a back injury and when McLaren fill-in Kevin Magussen and Red Bull’s Kvyat couldn’t complete warm-up laps the race was left with just 15 starters.

Things didn’t get any better after the first corner.

Lotus’ Pastor Maldonado was eliminated when he became collateral damage of a collision between the Ferraris of Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.

Raikkonen came off worst positionally, washing up in seventh behind Ricciardo, while Vettel settled in fourth.

Both Hamilton and Rosberg avoided the drama at the start, and when the race resumed they steadily increased the margin on their rivals.

Massa was driving well in third place, but by lap 15 he was more than 10 seconds behind Hamilton.

Rosberg was doing his best to stay on Hamilton’s hammer, but the Englishman comfortably maintained the lead and by lap 24 he was three-and-a-half seconds up.

Lewis Hamilton must like his chances of a third world title. Photo: Getty

A 3.3-second stop on lap 26 saw Hamilton briefly relinquish the lead, but when Rosberg pitted a lap later order was restored.

Young gun Max Verstappen, 17, came to grief on lap 34 complaining of smoke in the car, capping a difficult weekend for the Red Bull/Toro Rosso stables.

Lotus driver Romain Grosjean joined Maldonado with a ‘DNF’, and the attrition rate continued to climb on lap 40 when Raikkonen’s engine gave up the ghost.

Of the 15 starters only 11 drivers finished.

Rosberg pressed as hard as he could in the closing stages, but every time the German pulled within touching distance Hamilton managed to find another level.

The last time Hamilton won in Australia, in 2008, he went on to win the world title.

A third seems assured.

After the race, Hamllton was interviewed by The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, on the podium.

In The Terminator‘s sequels, Schwarzenegger’s T800 was always up against superior models.

That’s how every driver not in a Mercedes feels.

Australian Grand Prix final results

1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 58 laps in 1hr 31m 54.067s
2. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) +1.3s
3. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) +34.5s
4. Felipe Massa (Williams) +38.1s
5. Felipe Nasr (Sauber) +1m 35.1s
6. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) +1 lap
7. Nico Hulkenberg (Force India) +1 lap
8. Marcus Ericsson (Sauber) +1 lap
9. Carlos Sainz Jr (Toro Rosso) +1 lap
10. Sergio Perez (Force India) +1 lap
11. Jenson Button (McLaren) +2 laps

Rtd Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 40 laps completed
Rtd Max Verstappen (Toro Rosso) 32 laps completed
Rtd Romain Grosjean (Lotus) 0 laps completed
Rtd Pastor Maldonado (Lotus) 0 laps completed

Did Not Start

Daniil Kvyat (Red Bull) gearbox
Kevin Magnussen (McLaren) engine
Valtteri Bottas (Williams) back injury
Will Stevens (Manor) did not qualify
Roberto Merhi (Manor) did not qualify