MELBOURNE, March 3: World champion Michael Schumacher won an extraordinary Australian Grand Prix Sunday as the Formula One season began with a massive pile-up on the first corner and just a handful of finishers.

In a race that resembled a demolition derby more than the pinnacle of motor racing, the Ferrari driver from Germany emerged triumphant once again to claim a 54th career win.

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya was second in a Williams with Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen third in his McLaren debut for the first podium of his career. But there were unexpected names further down the point scorers.

Raikkonen was followed by Jaguar’s Eddie Irvine, who had all but written off his car’s chances before the race, with Minardi’s Australian rookie Mark Webber fifth after holding off a thrilling late challenge from Finland’s Mika Salo.

Salo still scored a point for Toyota on their grand prix debut. Webber, punching the air in jubilation, became the 51st driver to score on his Formula One debut and gave Minardi their first point since 1999.

After 29 of the 58 laps there were only eight cars remaining in the race and by the checkered flag only the front three remained on the same lap.

The first corner carnage was triggered in the blink of an eye with the starting lights barely extinguished.

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, starting on pole, was one of the unlucky ones after Ralf Schumacher’s Williams ploughed into the rear of his Ferrari and was launched into the air before plunging into the tyre barriers.

Ralf, who was also involved in a crash last year that killed a Melbourne marshal, had weaved past his older brother Michael at the start before running out of space as Barrichello’s car slowed trying to enter the first corner ahead.

He emerged shaken but unhurt, leaving wrecked cars littering the track after they tried to avoid his shunt. “It felt frightening, I can tell you,” he said. “Going airborne in an aircraft is nicer than in any Formula One car.”

“Rubens closed the door on me once, then he did it twice.”

The mayhem did not stop there, with Renault’s Italian Jarno Trulli bringing the safety car out again when he spun and crashed into the wall while in second place and working overtime to keep Michael Schumacher behind him.

Results

1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari one hour 35 minutes 36.792 seconds (average speed: 193.011 km/h); 2. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:35:55.419; 3. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1:36:01.858; 4. Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar, one lap behind; 5. Mark Webber (Australia) Minardi, two laps; 6. Mika Salo (Finland) Toyota, two laps; 7. Alex Yoong (Malaysia) Minardi, three laps; 8. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Jaguar, five laps.

Did not finish: David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren, completed 33 laps; Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR, 27 laps; Takuma Sato (Japan) Jordan, 12 laps; Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault, 8 laps.

Did not complete one lap: Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari; Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams; Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Jordan; Felipe Massa (Brazil) Sauber; Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber; Jenson Button (Britain) Renault; Olivier Panis (France) BAR; Allan McNish (Britain) Toyota.

Disqualified: Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Arrows; Enrique Bernoldi (Brazil) Arrows

Fastest lap: Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren, one minute 28.541 seconds (on lap 37)—Reuters