World champion Lewis Hamilton has admitted that coming out on top in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix is an "incredible feeling".

The British driver cruised to a seventh victory in his last eight races, with teammate Nico Rosberg securing a Mercedes one-two by finishing shortly behind in Melbourne.

Just 11 cars managed to cross the chequered flag at Albert Park due to injuries, car troubles and some faulty driving, although Hamilton faced no such problems to pick up from where he left off at the end of the last campaign.

"My team did an amazing job today and it's an incredible feeling to win," he is quoted as saying by BBC Sport. "Nico was very quick throughout the race.

"It was really trying to manage the fuel and the tyres not knowing the limit in terms of how far they can go. Once you get a two-second lap to try to manage that there is no need to eke out more. When Nico turned up the heat I was able to react."

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel made the podium by finishing in third place, while Jenson Button of McLaren finished last of those who did actually manage to complete the race.