NEW SEASON OF FORMULA ONE

today marks the start of the new formula one season

1 Jenson Button (Gbr) Brawn GP 1min 26.202secs, 2 Rubens Barrichello (Bra) Brawn GP 1:26.505, 3 Sebastian Vettel (Ger) Red Bull 1:26.830, 4 Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 1:26.914, 5 Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams 1:26.973, 6 Felipe Massa (Bra) Ferrari 1:27.033, 7 Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 1:27.163, 8 Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull 1:27.246, 9 Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 1:25.504, 10 Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 1:25.605, 11 Kazuki Nakajima (Jpn) Williams 1:25.607, 12 Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren 1:25.726, 13 Sebastien Buemi (Swi) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:26.503, 14 Nelson Piquet Jr. (Bra) Renault 1:26.598, 15 Giancarlo Fisichella (Ita) Force India 1:26.677, 16 Adrian Sutil (Ger) Force India 1:26.742, 17 Sebastien Bourdais (Fra) Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:26.964, 18 Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) McLaren No Time, 19 Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota No Time*, 20 Timo Glock (Ger) Toyota No Time*

Britain's Jenson Button has grabbed pole position for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix, with team-mate Rubens Barrichello forming an all-Brawn GP front row in Melbourne.

The former Honda team continued their flying pace from practice and pre-season testing as they dominated the qualifying at Albert Park.

Button crossed the line in one minute, 26.202 seconds to edge out his Brazilian team-mate Barrichello by three tenths of a second.

In what looks like a much more competitive season to come, there was not a Ferrari or McLaren in sight as Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel qualified third best, ahead of BMW's Robert Kubica, Williams' Nico Rosberg and Toyota's Timo Glock.

Reigning world champion Lewis Hamilton's struggles continued as he could only just scrape into the second session before a mechanical fault forced him out.

Lewis lagging behind

Hamilton qualified 15th before a five-place penalty incurred for a gearbox change sent him to the very back of the grid.

However, penalties subsequently earned by Glock and team-mate Jarno Trulli - stewards deciding the rear wing on Toyota's car was flexing - moved him back up to 18th.

Hamilton, who won last year's Australian Grand Prix, will therefore start further down the grid than he ever has done in an F1 race.

The Ferraris of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen will start from sixth and seventh respectively, while Fernando Alonso is 10th and home favourite Mark Webber eighth.

It was Brawn's day though, with the new team emerging out of Honda's ashes in superb style when it looked for so long like they would go out of business.

Brawn GP's feat marks the first time since 1954 that a team has taken pole in its first Grand Prix, and it will give boss Ross Brawn huge satisfaction.

Button also has a new lease of life as he celebrates his first Formula One pole position since 2006, when he also grabbed pole in Australia when driving for Honda.

Amazing

Button hailed an "amazing" turnaround following a largely bleak winter for the Brackley-based team.

"The last five or six months for both of us have been so tough," he said.

"Going from not having a drive or any future in racing to putting on pole here is just amazing, it really is.

"I've got to give all credit to the team for making this happen. This is where we deserve to be after the tough times we've had."

The team had even more reason to be optimistic for Sunday after the FIA published the fuel loads with which cars will start the race - Button and Barrichello weighing in heavier than their nearest rivals.

The pair should therefore be able to gain further advantage by racing a longer opening stint.