Michael Schumacher won the 2002 Formula One season opener, claiming his 54th career victory and beginning Ferrari's dominant championship campaign.
Key Facts
- Race winner
- Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- Spectators
- 127,000
- Race laps
- 58 laps
- Pole position
- Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)
- Schumacher career wins
- 54th career victory
- Championship round
- Round 1 of 17, 2002 F1 World Championship
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello secured pole position but braked too early at the first corner on race start, prompting a collision with Ralf Schumacher behind him. Six other drivers became involved in a separate incident, requiring the safety car to be deployed for four laps to clear the circuit.
Held on 3 March 2002 at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, the 58-lap race saw David Coulthard lead early before Michael Schumacher passed him on lap eleven. Juan Pablo Montoya briefly took the lead but ran wide, allowing Schumacher to retake first place and hold it to the finish, with Montoya second and Kimi Räikkönen third on his maiden podium.
Michael Schumacher left Australia atop the World Drivers' Championship with ten points, four ahead of Montoya and six ahead of Räikkönen. Ferrari led the Constructors' Championship over Williams and McLaren, setting the tone for what would become a dominant Ferrari season across the remaining sixteen rounds.
Result
at Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne, Australia