Next Grand Prix : Malaysian GP , Sepang Circuit, March 20-21-22, 2003

RACE RESULTS

F1 CALENDAR

DRIVERS & TEAMS

F1 CAR LAUNCH'S

F1 REGULATIONS

Coulthard wins down and under!  

  It had been raining heavily here most of the day however it appears as if the rain has eased off for the start of this highly anticipated event. Drivers are on the grid and the track is dry in several places but scattered showers are predicted for the rest of the afternoon. The national anthem gets underway. Drivers are connected to the now compulsory HANS device and prepare to begin this first race of the 2003 season.

Engines fire up and personnel begin to leave the grid. It will be extremely interesting to see just what strategy each team opted to use. The formation lap begins and everyone gets away cleanly. Michael Schumacher leads them around the Albert Park track. It seems as if Jordan are running on dry tyres, but Ferrari are on wets. Minardi fire up Jos Verstappen's car and he heads to the exit of pitlane.

The cars are back on the grid, but Kimi Raikkonen is back in the pits!!! It's GO! Michael straight into the lead and everyone gets through the first corner cleanly. Montoya appears to be struggling as Ferrari pull out seven seconds on the first lap. Nick Heidfeld takes third. It appears as if both Saubers are on a very low fuel load. Montoya is on dry tyres and now retakes third from Heidfeld. David Coulthard pits, 7.2 as Barrichello posts the fastest lap. Justin Wilson is eleventh in the Minardi ahead of Ralf Schumacher!

  Montoya is gaining ground now, but on lap three he is 12 seconds behind Michael Schumacher, but brings the gap down to 9 seconds on the following lap. Villeneuve pits for dry tyres. Barrichello jumped the start and will be penalized. Montoya continues to close the gap, 6.6 seconds. Problems for Barrichello! He is out of the race! He went off at turn five and hit the wall ripping off the rear wing and front tyre. Button has pitted and Coulthard posts the fastest lap of the race. Ralph Firman is in the fence and out of the race. Michael Schumacher pits and Montoya goes into the lead of the Australian GP. Problems for Schumacher in the pits! 14.2 seconds.

Cristiano da Matta is in the gravel and out of the race. Mark Webber is up to fifth place and the safety car is deployed to clean up the debris that is left by Barrichello and Firman. It's a shame as the 40-second lead Montoya had over Michael Schumacher is now all gone. The top six haven't pitted as yet, but the rest have and they are the ones with the advantage now. Alonso pits under safety car conditions Lap 11 and the safety car is in and its back to racing! Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher both pass Mark Webber. Ralf closes in on the second placed Renault of Jarno Trulli while Montoya continues to streak into the lead.

Lap 16 and Mark Webber's Jaguar goes off track and the Australian retires. Rear suspension failure for Mark. Safety car is deployed and Montoya, Ralf and Trulli all pit. Ralf has problems with the right rear and then when he does return to the circuit, spins on cold tyres. Raikkonen now leads with Michael Schumacher second, David Coulthard third and Jacques Villeneuve fourth.

Lap 20 and the race restarts. Montoya has a look up the inside of Panis and passes the Toyota for 6th. The BMW Williams driver now hunts down the BAR of fifth placed Jenson Button. Nick Heidfeld retires after almost connecting with Ralf Schumacher! Track temperature is heating up and Michael Schumacher is closing in on Kimi Raikkonen. The battle is on as Michael sits on the McLaren's gearbox waiting for the first opportunity to pounce. David Coulthard, who is third, closes in on the lead battle as Raikkonen begins to buckle, just slightly.

Only half a second separate the two BAR drivers, Jacques Villeneuve in fourth and Jenson Button in fifth. Problems for Jos Verstappen in the pits. Both BARS come into the pits on the same lap!!! Disaster for Jenson Button! The Brit has to wait until Villeneuve takes on service before he can fuel. A mistake according to the team, a mix up in communications. Lap 27 and Michael records the fastest lap.

Lap 28 and Michael Schumacher pits. Stop and go penalty for Oliver Panis after the Toyota driver crossed the blend line. Kimi Raikkonen is pushing hard as he prepares for a pit stop. Pizzonia goes off track but continues on. Raikkonen continues to stay out and McLaren finally get ready, but it's for David Coulthard. Kimi pits next time around and rejoins in front of Michael Schumacher. Problems for Giancarlo Fisichella in the pits. Juan Pablo Montoya is in the lead with Kimi Raikkonen second, Heinz-Harald Frentzen third and Michael Schumacher in fourth.

Frentzen is under attack by Michael Schumacher, the Ferrari desperately wanting to get past and challenge Raikkonen and Montoya. Michael tries to get past Raikkonen and looks like he will make it stick but Kimi won't take part and Michael goes into the grass to avoid contact. Drive through penalty for Kimi for speeding in pit lane. What a shame for the young Finn.

Montoya still leads but the Colombian may need to stop again where Michael Schumacher more than likely doesn't. Kimi completes his drive through penalty and drops back to seventh place. Pizzonia and Button pit as Michael Schumacher makes a small error and goes wide momentarily allowing Montoya to increase his lead even further.

Montoya pits handing the lead to David Coulthard, 8.3 seconds. An off for Kimi Raikkonen and problems for Michael Schumacher! The Ferrari is slowing, the right hand barge board has come off. Michael stays out on track as parts off the car are hanging off. Schumacher pits on lap 44 and Ferrari mechanics clean the debris, fill the tank and put on fresh rubber.
Montoya leads, David Coulthard is second, Michael Schumacher third, after three stops, and Kimi Raikkonen is in fourth. Montoya goes off track losing his lead over David Coulthard. Coulthard now leads and Montoya is second, fighting off third placed Kimi Raikkonen. 13 drivers remain and David Coulthard is being told by the pits to ‘look after the engine'. The laps tick down and there is nothing between second third and fourth places. Michael, in fourth is trying to make it onto the podium. It is looking good for a Coulthard win here as Antonio Pizzonia retires his Jaguar. Giancarlo Fisichella pits after lapping slowly. David Coulthard continues to increase his lead and Michael Schumachers keeps pushing Raikkonen for P3.

Michael Schumacher appears to be losing ground to Raikkonen, who in turn is keeping the pressure on second placed Juan Pablo Montoya. Last lap and Coulthard brings it home to win the Australian Grand Prix! Montoya is second, Raikkonen third, Schumacher fourth, Trulli fifth, Frentzen sixth, Alonso seventh and Ralf eighth.

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