David Coulthard won from 11th on the grid, securing his 13th and final Formula One victory at the 2003 season opener in Melbourne.
Key Facts
- Race distance
- 58 laps at Albert Park Circuit
- Pole position
- Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
- Winner's grid position
- 11th
- Coulthard's career wins
- 13 (final victory)
- Championship points after race
- Coulthard 10, Montoya 8, Räikkönen 6
- Safety car deployments
- 2
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher set pole position on a damp circuit that dried rapidly due to strong winds after overnight rain, creating complex tyre strategy decisions. Schumacher pitted early on lap seven to switch from wet to dry tyres, triggering a sequence of lead changes among four drivers throughout the race.
The 2003 Australian Grand Prix was held on 9 March 2003 at Albert Park, Melbourne. Coulthard started 11th but moved through the field, and when leader Juan Pablo Montoya lost control of his car on lap 48, Coulthard inherited the lead and held it to the finish, with Montoya second and Räikkönen third.
Coulthard left Australia leading the World Drivers' Championship with ten points, while McLaren headed the Constructors' standings with 16 points. The victory proved to be the last of Coulthard's Formula One career. Williams sat second in the Constructors' Championship with nine points, with 15 races still to run.
Result
at Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne, Australia