 Two weeks before the Australian Grand Prix , Fernando Alonso withdrew from the race on medical advice following his testing accident . Having driven in Alonso 's stead during pre @-@ season testing , Kevin Magnussen remained with the team for the race . The team endured a difficult start to the season in Melbourne as Button and Magnussen qualified on the final row of the grid , detuning the engine ahead of the race to preserve its reliability ; Button would later be recorded going through the speed trap at 288 km / h ( 179 mph ) , some 21 km / h ( 13 mph ) slower than the fastest car . In a race of attrition , Button was the final classified finisher , in eleventh position , two laps behind the race winner . In doing so , he completed the MP4 @-@ 30 's first full race distance . Magnussen did not make it to the start after his engine failed whilst driving to the grid . 
