  
| ||||
 |
| Both F1-2000s proved reliable and quick enough. |
 |
| Barrichello slipped perfectly into his new role. |
 |
| The Schueys had good cause to celebrate. |
 |
| “I get paid to wear these!”. |
GRAND PRIX : Australia : Ferraris are Gifted a 1-2
Michael Schumacher led new Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello home in an emphatic one-two win for the Italian team in Sunday's season opening Australian Grand Prix.
The 31-year-old German, taking full advantage of the mechanical failings of his McLaren and Jordan rivals, crossed the line comfortably clear of his Brazilian team-mate.
It was Schumacher's 36th victory in his 129th Grand Prix and Ferrari's first one-two since last year's controversial and spectacular triumph in Malaysia. That result was cancelled but reinstated after appeal.
Schumacher's younger brother Ralf gave the Williams team a podium finish on their first outing with BMW as engine suppliers by coming home third ahead of 1997 champion Jacques Villeneuve. The Canadian's fourth place finish gave the BAR-Honda team their first points in Formula One.
Villeneuve had endured a pointless season in 1999, but his steady drive brought him home ahead of fifth-placed Italian Giancarlo Fisichella in a Benetton and sixth-placed Mika Salo of Finland in a Sauber. Salo, however, was later excluded from the results, which gave Zonta (BAR) the final point.
Both McLarens were sidelined early in the race when their Ilmor engines blew spectacularly. Hakkinen had led from the start but pulled up after 18 laps and Coulthard retired with an identical engine failure on lap 12.
Williams’ second driver Jenson Button ran as high as sixth before he retired with a similar problem only 11 laps from the end of his debut race.
The two Jaguars, with Britons Eddie Irvine and Johnny Herbert, retired after just six laps of the team's debut, with Irvine no doubt left wondering whether he had made the right choice in leaving Ferrari when he saw the F1-2000s disappear up the road in front of him.
Albert Park, 12.3.00
Jean Todt:
“We could not have made a better start. This is the first one-two finish with our new driver line-up. The cars went really well in this opening race. I was worried about the reliability. We got the best result, while those we expected to be our main rivals failed to score. The championship is a difficult obstacle race with 16 rounds to go. Now we have a great opportunity, which we must exploit. The whole team worked very well. Michael used the car rebuilt after Friday’s accident, thanks to excellent work from the mechanics. We changed Barrichello’s strategy in order to get him past Frentzen and all went according to plan.”
Michael Schumacher:
“This was the fifth time we have tried to win in Australia and to be competitive at the start of the season. I was not worried yesterday: I thought Mika could celebrate pole and I could celebrate the win! We still have to work to improve our starts, but I could match the pace at the front and I decided to take it easy and push before the pit stops. I was disappointed when the McLarens retired as I would have preferred to race them to the end to show what we could do. Towards the end, I had no need to push and I let Rubens pass, as he had to make a second stop and he was fighting for second place.”
Rubens Barrichello:
“I did not make a very good start and even though the car was good, I was stuck behind Frentzen. It is very difficult to overtake here. I tried very hard, but then I decided to back off. He was holding me up. I was talking to the team all the time on the radio and we decided to switch to a two stop strategy to get me ahead. My only problem was when I got neutral as I was leaving the pits. Now, I am looking forward to the next race. Maybe we can switch places so that I can win in Brazil.”
RACE RESULTS Australian Grand Prix Albert Park, Melbourne; 58 laps, 307.574 kms. Weather: Sunny and warm Pos Driver Team Time 1. M.Schumacher Ferrari 1h34:01.987 2. Barrichello Ferrari + 11.400 3. R.Schumacher Williams BMW + 20.000 4. Villeneuve BAR Honda + 44.400 5. Fisichella Benetton Supertec + 45.100 6. Zonta BAR Honda + 46.400 7. Wurz Benetton Supertec + 46.900 8. Gene Minardi Fondmetal + 1 Lap 9. Heidfeld Prost Peugeot + 2 Laps Fastest Lap: Barrichello, 1:31.481 (209,685 km/h), lap 41 Not Classified/Retirements: Driver Team On Lap Reason Button Williams BMW 46 Engine Diniz Sauber Petronas 41 Transmission Mazzacane Minardi Fondmetal 40 Gearbox Frentzen Jordan Mugen-Honda 39 Hydraulic leak Trulli Jordan Mugen-Honda 35 Exhaust/engine failure Alesi Prost Peugeot 27 Hydraulic leak Hakkinen McLaren Mercedes 18 Engine/ valve pressure Verstappen Arrows Supertec 16 withdrawn by team Coulthard McLaren Mercedes 11 Engine/ valve pressure de la Rosa Arrows Supertec 6 Accident Irvine Jaguar Ford 6 Accident Herbert Jaguar Ford 1 Clutch Salo Sauber Petronas - Disqualified World Championship Standing, Round 1: Drivers: Constructors: 1. M.Schumacher 10 1. Ferrari 16 2. Barrichello 6 2. Williams-BMW 4 3. R.Schumacher 4 = BAR-Honda 4 4. Villeneuve 3 4. Benetton-Playlife 2 5. Fisichella 2 6. Zonta 1
Acknowledgement:
Race Data by Atlas F1, Pix by Reuter and Schumacher.com.
Click here to return to the Ferrari Happenings page.
