Sunday March 12th, 2000
The 31-year-old German, taking full advantage of the mechanical failings of his McLaren and Jordan rivals, crossed the line comfortably clear of the first Brazilian to drive for Ferrari. 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.
Villeneuve had endured a pointless season in 1998, 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. Both McLarens, driven by world champion Finn Mika Hakkinen, who led for the opening 19 laps, and Briton David Coulthard retired with engine problems. Williams second driver Jenson Button, 20, ran as high as sixth before he retired with a similar problem only 11 laps from the end of his debut race. Both Jaguars, with Britons Eddie Irvine and Johnny Herbert, retired after just six laps of the team's debut.
The McLarens of world champion Mika Hakkinen and Briton David Coulthard retired from the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday with apparent engine problems. Finland's Hakkinen, who had led from the start after taking pole position, retired after 18 laps. Coulthard went out after completing 11 laps. The Scot had earlier come into the pits with smoke seen coming from the back of the McLaren. Coulthard went out again on lap 12 but retired after the fourth corner.
Jaguars out of Australian Grand prix The Jaguars driven by Britons Johnny Herbert and Eddie Irvine retired from the Australian Grand Prix after just six laps in the team's Formula One debut on Sunday. Herbert went out after one lap in Melbourne and was followed five laps later by Irvine, runner-up last season with Ferrari before moving to Jaguar. "We knew we had an engine sort of problem, we hoped when we came here to have got rid of most of that but we still haven't," said Herbert. The safety car came out briefly after Irvine tore the wheels off his car when he hit a wall in a shunt that also involved Spanish Arrows driver Pedro de la Rosa.
PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS Australian Grand Prix Albert Park, Melbourne; 58 laps, 307.574 kms. Weather: Sunny and warm Pos Driver Team Time 1. M.Schumache 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 Playlife + 45.100 6. Zonta BAR Honda + 46.400 7. Wurz Benetton Playlife + 46.900 8. Gene Minardi Fondmetal + 1 Lap 9. Heidfeld Prost Peugeot + 2 Laps Fastest Lap: Barichello, 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 Cosworth 6 Accident Herbert Jaguar Cosworth 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 All timing unofficial
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