The first race of the 2002 season, the Australian Grand Prix, got underway this morning. Thankfully for most of the drivers the race began with a dry track after having been very wet during this morning's warm-up session. Track temperature is sitting at 20'C and looks set to rise during the course of the race. The drivers make their way to the grid under grey skies, and it must be mentioned that today sees BAR driver Jacques Villeneuve taking part in his 100th Grand Prix.

As the formation laps gets underway both Arrows of Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Enrique Bernoldi are stuck out on track. The team push them back to the pit lane but neither car will be starting the race. The rest of the field is ready to begin and its go, go, go on the Australian Grand Prix.

Ralf Schumacher starts well and looks to overtake Rubens Barrichello. But the Ferrari driver covers his line and pulls in front of Ralf who takes off as he hits the Ferrari. Huge accident and a lot of the field is caught up in it. The safety car comes out to lead those remaining around the track, however most of the field is out. Just 12 cars remain with David Coulthard leading Jarno Trulli, who leads Juan Pablo Montoya, Schumacher, Irvine, and Sato. Meanwhile Kimi Raikkonen pits to get a new nose cone, but experiences problems and it's a 48 second stop. Finally the safety car comes in and once again it is go in Melbourne, as Frentzen comes out of the pits to start join the race. He is already a few laps down.

Coulthard immediately begins pulling away from Trulli, while Schumacher takes Montoya when the Colombian made a small mistake. Schumacher is now chasing down Trulli and is desperate to pass the Renault driver. A mistake from Trulli on the exit of Turn 2 and he slides across the track and into the wall damaging his Renault badly. Another driver out of the race!

However one joins the race! Enrique Bernoldi follows his teammates lead the joins the action out on track. But the Arrows driver is nine laps down already, and almost immediately pits. Jacques Villeneuve also pits at the same time and returns to the track in tenth place. Safety car leaves the track once again.

Coulthard takes the restart but losing control of his McLaren under braking and goes onto the grass. Schumacher is gifted the lead, but immediately Montoya passes the Ferrari ace to lead in Melbourne. Coulthard is now down in fifth place, but passes Irvine to take fourth and is now sitting behind his teammate, Raikkonen. Meanwhile Schumacher is doggedly following Montoya and will not let the Colombian pull away, challenging him at every corner.

Jordan's Takuma Sato decides to call it a day and retires from the race. Change of leadership on lap 16 as Schumacher is finally able to pass Montoya but it was a hard task. The Ferrari ace had to change lines before finally drawing up alongside the Colombian and passing him. Great start for the two Minardi's of Mark Webber and Alex Yoong. The Australian is in sixth place at present, while his Malaysian teammate is eighth. Villeneuve is sandwiched between the two Minardis.

Arrows bad run continues as Frentzen is black-flagged and disqualified from the race. The German left the pit lane under red lights and is out of the race. Teammate Bernoldi is also under investigation. Problems also for Coulthard. For the third time he takes to the grass and his Mercedes engine is not sounding too healthy. Irvine and Salo pass Coulthard and the Scotsman is down in fifth place. Another driver leaves the field as Pedro de la Rosa retires.

Schumacher continues to lead Montoya and the gap is now 14.5 seconds as the Ferrari driver puts in fastest lap time after fastest lap time. While Schumacher may be going quicker and quicker Coulthard is not. Down in fifth place the McLaren driver is being caught by Webber, who passes him easily. Mark Webber is up into fifth place on his debut and the crowd are loving it.

Jacques Villeneuve's race comes to an end as he loses control of his BAR and crashes out. Disappointing end to the Canadian's 100th grand prix. And Coulthard is still losing places as Yoong passes him for sixth. Both Minardi's are in the top six after 32 laps.

Mika Salo, a lap down in eighth place, is one of the first drivers to do a scheduled pit stop. 12.4 seconds for the Toyota mechanics and he returns to the track. Webber also pits, but there is a problem with his fuel flap which did not want to open. The Australian is in the pits for 34.9 seconds. Meanwhile Coulthard retires, parking his McLaren on the side of the track.

Flurry of drivers coming in to pit as first Montoya, then Schumacher, then Irvine and finally Raikkonen all pit. But a mistake from Raikkonen as he leaves the pits sends him on to the grass, but he recovers and continues. Yoong also takes to the pits, but is going slowly as he comes out allowing for Salo to take sixth place from him.

The top five remain stagnant with Schumacher leading Montoya, who in turn leads Raikkonen, Irvine and Webber. De la Rosa, that last man on track, comes into the Jaguar pit and stays there for 9. 2 seconds before returning to the track in eighth place.

Meanwhile Salo is beginning to catch Webber and the gap is just 14 seconds between the two with nine laps remaining in the race. Salo is lapping a second and a half quicker than the Minardi driver, and is catching him very quickly. On lap 53 the gap was down to 6.9 seconds and this could be the last big battle of the day if Salo catches the Australian.

No problems for the top four who all seem set in their places with Schumacher in the lead. He is 28 seconds ahead of Montoya at present, who is leading Raikkonen by 4.5 seconds, as the Finn does not seem to be able to catch the Williams driver. However the action behind them is getting intense as Salo closes in on Webber and two world championship points. But the Toyota driver makes a mistake with two laps remaining spinning his car and allowing for Webber to escape him.

Final lap and Schumacher coasts around the Albert Park circuit on his way to another Australian Grand Prix victory. The German crosses the line and gets his championship defence off to a great start, while Montoya takes second and Raikkonen the final podium place on his McLaren debut. Irvine is fourth, ahead of Minardi's Webber, and Salo. Yoong and de la Rosa are the final two drivers to finish.

Top Six: Schumacher, Montoya, Raikkonen, Irvine, Webber and Salo.