(CNN) -- Jenson Button underlined the potential strength of the McLaren-Mercedes in 2012 with a convincing victory in the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne, the opening race of the new Formula One season. Button had a quicker start than teammate and fellow-Briton Lewis Hamilton, who was on pole position, and never looked likely to relinquish his advantage, despite the intervention of the safety car giving some brief hope to world champion Sebastian Vettel. Vettel overtook Hamilton after the safety car was deployed on lap 38 when the Caterham of Vitaly Petrov stalled on the track and, for a moment, the German's Red Bull threatened to catch Button.
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Jenson Button dominates season-opening Australian Grand Prix for McLaren
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2009 world champion Button claims his third Melbourne victory in four years
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Defending world champion Sebastian Vettel is second with Lewis Hamilton third
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Local favorite Mark Webber and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso complete the top five
Vettel, who is bidding to win a third successive world title, was philosophical in defeat, adding: "@placeholder drove a fantastic race and was unbeatable, but I'm very happy to finish second, it's a lot of points.