There were no points for Jordan today, as Heinz-Harald Frentzen retired when on course for a top-three finish in a thrilling Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Michael Schumacher began his quest to become Ferrari's first world drivers' champion for 21 years with an eventually comfortable victory - his first in Australia in 10 attempts - over new teammate Rubens Barrichello. The German allowed Barrichello to overtake him with 13 laps left, but soon afterwards the Brazilian had to make a second pit-stop. Schumacher's title hopes were given a boost as McLaren rivals Mika Hakkinen, champion for the last two years, and David Coulthard failed to make the halfway mark after similar problems in their Mercedes engines.
“This is a perfect start for us,” said Schumacher, whose victory by 11.4 seconds was the 36th of his career. “This is the fifth time with Ferrari we have tried to be competitive from the beginning of the season. But when I first got into the car I knew it was the one I could fight for the World Championship with.”
Jenson Button's hopes of a famous points-scoring debut were dashed as The 20-year-old was lying in a stunning sixth place when forced to retire with just over 11 laps of the 58-lap race left, the BMW engine of his Williams having blown up. Button, who became Britain's youngest ever Formula One driver, was on course to become only the seventh man in 24 years to score a point on his race debut. But the Frome-born driver's cool display, after starting in 21st place, in the blistering heat answered the critics who said he was too young and inexperienced for Formula One.
Jaguar's much-hyped entry into Formula One also turned into a nightmare as Eddie Irvine, last year's race winner, was involved in a collision and Johnny Herbert retired on lap one. Ralf Schumacher completed a promising day for the Williams team with third place, while former world champion Jacques Villeneuve, who failed to finish the first 11 races last year, was fourth, achieving the first points for the BAR team. Benetton's Giancarlo Fisichella was fifth, and while Sauber's Mika Salo crossed the line sixth, he was later excluded from the result by the stewards after the technical delegate said his Sauber's bodywork was illegal. Brazilian Ricardo Zonta will be promoted to sixth giving BAR a double points finish. Just 10 of the 22 drivers who started the race finished.
