Australian Grand Prix qualifying

March 30, 4:04 PMFormula One ExaminerTerrence Connolly

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Brawn GP Formula One driver Jenson Button of Britain, left,
celebrates next to runner-up Brawn GP Formula One driver
Rubens Barrichello of Brazil after winning the qualifying for the
Australian Formula One Grand Prix at the Albert Park racetrack in
Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, March 28, 2009. The season's
opening race will be held here Sunday, March 29, 2009.
(AP Photo/Oliver Multhaup)

If the powers that be at Formula 1 expected to shake things up with the most radical rule changes in it's history, they may have actually gotten more than they bargained for.

Brawn became the first debut Formula 1 racing team to put their initial car on the pole since Jackie Stewart did it with March in 1970. Jensen Button will share the front row with team mate Rubens Barrichello for the first race of the 2009 season.

The fact that Button and Barrichello, who just months ago were without a car to race after their Honda team folded, are now on the coveted front row of the all important Formula 1 starting grid is truly remarkable.

Last year's rookie sensation Sebastien Vettel snared the third spot on the grid with his new new Red Bull team. Just as shocking as the Brawn debut pole is the fact that reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton and his McLaren will start from the 18th position, with McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen settling for a disappointing 12th place on the grid. Hamilton did not even drive his car out for the second round of knockout qualifying, after experiencing gearbox issues during the first round of qualifying. Constructors champ Ferrari was surely as frustrated by the new rule changes as bitter rival McLaren, with Felipe Massa qualifying for the seventh position and Kimi Raikkonen hanging on for the ninth spot.

McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of
Britain drives slowly after wrecking his gearbox during the
qualifying for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at the
Albert Park racetrack in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, March
28, 2009. The season's opening race will be held here Sunday
March 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

Starting Grid for the 2009 Australian Grand Prix :

1 Jenson Button (Brawn Mercedes)
2 Rubens Barrichello (Brawn Mercedes)
3 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Renault)
4 Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber)
5 Nico Rosberg (Williams Toyota)
6 Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
7 Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
8 Mark Webber (Red Bull Renault)
9 Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber)
10 Fernando Alonso (Renault)
11 Kazuki Nakajima (Williams Toyota)
12 Heikki Kovalainen (Mclaren Mercedes)
13 Sebastien Buemi (Toro Rosso Ferrari)
14 Nelson Piquet (Renault)
15 Giancarlo Fisichella (Force India Mercedes)
16 Adrian Sutil (Force India Mercedes)
17 Sebastien Bourdais (Toro Rosso Ferrari)
18 Lewis Hamilton (Mclaren Mercedes)
19 Jarno Trulli (Toyota)
20 Timo Glock (Toyota)