Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany drives during the Australian F1 Grand Prix at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne March 27, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

MELBOURNE, Australia - Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel made an ideal start to his Formula One title defense, driving a flawless race to outpace McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and win the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.

Starting from pole position, Vettel maintained his lead off the start, sped away and was never seriously threatened. Hamilton's chances of launching a pursuit were hampered by a damaged floor on his car and he had to settle for second, 22 seconds behind the German.

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"The car was quick but also reliable and that is the key," Vettel said. "Its the first time I have finished the Australian GP as well, so I am very, very happy."

Renault's Vitaly Petrov was a surprise third, claiming his first ever podium finish with a strong drive.

"To be honest I can't believe I'm sitting with these guys," Petrov said at the post-race media conference.

Vettel, who drove a two-stop strategy on the new Pirelli tires, made his first pit to change to fresh rubber on the 14th lap, importantly emerging in third ahead of McLaren's Jenson Button. Vettel was back in the lead after Hamilton and Petrov pitted two laps later, and he retained a comfortable buffer from then on.

"With Lewis dropping off later in the race, there was no pressure, so I was able to control it," Vettel said.

Ferrari's Fernando Alonso finished fourth, while Australian Mark Webber was fifth, as both used three-stop strategies _ one more than the podium finishers.

"Here at Albert Park it seems I have a season ticket for fourth place," Alonso said. "It's the third time in four years I've finished the race in this position."

Button was sixth, falling short in his bid to win the race for a third straight year. He had to do a drive-through penalty after using a slip road to pass Ferrari's Felipe Massa after a dogfight between the pair in the early part of the race, and that cost him a shot at third.

"I tried to overtake him around the outside of Turn 11. I was in front before we turned in, but he went really deep into the corner and pushed me wide so that I couldn't take my normal line," Button said. "After my drive-through penalty I had to fight my way back, which was fun but also frustrating."

Mexican rookie Sergio Perez's dream debut was spoiled when he and teammate Kamui Kobayashi were disqualified after post-race scrutineering found their Sauber cars breached technical regulations. Race stewards found the Saubers breached articles 3.10.1 and 3.10.2 relating to the shape and curvature of the cars' wings.

Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany holds up his trophy after winning the Australian F1 Grand Prix at the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne March 27, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

Sauber announced its intention to appeal that decision to the FIA, motor sport's governing body.

Perez had finished an impressive seventh in his first grand prix after pitting just once, while Kobayashi had come eighth.

Their exclusion moved Massa to seventh place _lifting Ferrari above Renault in the teams' standings _ Toro Rosso's Sebastian Buemi to eighth, while Adrian Sutil and Paul Di Resta of Force India found themselves in the points at ninth and 10th.

There were mixed emotions in the Red Bull garage, with Vettel's euphoria offset by Webber's ongoing failure to show his best at his home race. It is the third time he has finished fifth, never improving on the remarkable performance in the struggling Minardi car at his first attempt in 2002.