Sunday March 3rd, 2002

German Nick Heidfeld admitted he could do nothing to avoid a heavy accident at the start of today's Australian Grand Prix.

The Sauber driver, starting from 10th place on the grid at the Melbourne circuit, caused mayhem at the first corner after crashing heavily into Giancarlo Fisichella's Jordan and taking several other cars out of the race.

Heidfeld cut across the grass but lost control of his car while trying to avoid trouble after Ralf Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello had crashed at the head of the field. The Sauber driver later took the blame for the accident, but said there was nothing he could do to avoid it.

"Yes, I think I did cause an accident," he told Australian television. "I could see a big accident developing ahead of me and tried to keep to the inside to avoid trouble. Unfortunately I couldn't avoid getting caught up in the aftermath. It would have been better for me if the race had been stopped, but that's racing."

The accident also took Sauber teammate Felipe Massa out of the race, and with the FIA's decision to deploy the safety car instead of showing the red flag, neither could rejoin the event.

"I didn't intend my first Grand Prix to end this way," said Massa. "I made a good start and then saw the big crash in front. I slowed down and went to the inside, and I got through the first corner without hitting anyone or anything, but then Fisichella caught me from behind and that was it. My race was over."

Published at 05:46:38 GMT