The start is one of the most tense and dramatic moments of a race. They don’t get much more striking than the 2002 Australian Grand Prix start.
Rubens Barrichello started on pole position for Ferrari, ahead of team-mate Michael Schumacher and his brother Ralf.
The Brazilian got a decent launch off the grid but Ralf Schumacher got a better one and closed in on the run to the first corner. Barrichello darted one way and Schumacher followed him and the two made contact.
What happened next caught many by surprise. Schumacher’s Williams was launched into the air before reconnecting with the ground on the Turn 1 run-off area. His car came to rest after hitting the barrier at the end of the gravel trap.
Behind, the crash sparked chaos. Barrichello spun and a wild Sauber running across the grass and collided with several cars. Smoke and debris was everywhere and the Safety Car was deployed.
Eight cars were eliminated before the first lap had even been completed. Behind the Safety Car the top eight order was David Coulthard, Jarno Trulli, Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Schumacher, Eddie Irvine, Pedro de La Rosa, Takuma Sato and Mark Webber.
Coulthard scampered off into the distance on the restart and Schumacher quickly moved up to second, helped by Montoya running wide and Trulli hitting the wall. The McLaren’s lead was cut by the resulting Safety Car period but a gearbox problem caused him to go off.
The Scottish driver would later retire, with Schumacher moving into first and controlling the remainder of the race, following a brief but intense battle with Montoya. The Ferrari racer won the 2002 Australian Grand Prix by 18 seconds from Montoya, with Kimi Raikkonen recovering from early damage to finish third.
Irvine was fourth, with Webber fifth on his debut for Minardo and Mika Salo sixth on Toyota’s debut. Alex Yoong and de la Rosa rounded out the finishers.
The Brazilian got a decent launch off the grid but Ralf Schumacher got a better one and closed in on the run to the first corner. Barrichello darted one way and Schumacher followed him and the two made contact.
What happened next caught many by surprise. Schumacher’s Williams was launched into the air before reconnecting with the ground on the Turn 1 run-off area. His car came to rest after hitting the barrier at the end of the gravel trap.
Behind, the crash sparked chaos. Barrichello spun and a wild Sauber running across the grass and collided with several cars. Smoke and debris was everywhere and the Safety Car was deployed.
Eight cars were eliminated before the first lap had even been completed. Behind the Safety Car the top eight order was David Coulthard, Jarno Trulli, Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Schumacher, Eddie Irvine, Pedro de La Rosa, Takuma Sato and Mark Webber.
Coulthard scampered off into the distance on the restart and Schumacher quickly moved up to second, helped by Montoya running wide and Trulli hitting the wall. The McLaren’s lead was cut by the resulting Safety Car period but a gearbox problem caused him to go off.
The Scottish driver would later retire, with Schumacher moving into first and controlling the remainder of the race, following a brief but intense battle with Montoya. The Ferrari racer won the 2002 Australian Grand Prix by 18 seconds from Montoya, with Kimi Raikkonen recovering from early damage to finish third.
Irvine was fourth, with Webber fifth on his debut for Minardo and Mika Salo sixth on Toyota’s debut. Alex Yoong and de la Rosa rounded out the finishers.
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