2002 Australian Grand Prix

2002 Australian Grand Prix
Race 1 of 17 in the 2002 Formula One World Championship ← Previous race Next race →
Race details[1][2]
Date	3 March 2002
Official name	2002 Foster's Australian Grand Prix
Location	Albert Park Circuit, Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Course	Temporary street circuit
Course length	5.303 km (3.295 miles)
Distance	58 laps, 307.574 km (191.118 miles)
Weather	Cloudy at start, clearing to sunny skies.
Attendance	127,000
Pole position
Driver	Rubens Barrichello	Ferrari
Time	1:25.843
Fastest lap
Driver	Kimi Räikkönen	McLaren-Mercedes
Time	1:28.541 on lap 37
Podium
First	Michael Schumacher	Ferrari
Second	Juan Pablo Montoya	Williams-BMW
Third	Kimi Räikkönen	McLaren-Mercedes
Lap leaders [3]

The 2002 Australian Grand Prix (formally the 2002 Foster's Australian Grand Prix)^[4] was a Formula One motor race contested on 3 March 2002 at the Albert Park Circuit, Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The race, which drew 127,000 spectators, was the first of the 2002 Formula One World Championship and the 18th Formula One Australian Grand Prix. Ferrari's Michael Schumacher won the 58-lap race after starting second. Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya finished second, and McLaren's Kimi Räikkönen took third, his maiden podium finish.

Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello took pole position after setting the best qualifying lap. He retired at the start of the race after braking too early for the first corner, catching Williams driver Ralf Schumacher, who collided with the rear of Barrichello's car. Six drivers were involved in a separate incident. The safety car was deployed for four laps to clear the track. McLaren's David Coulthard led the first ten laps before a mistake on lap eleven allowed Michael Schumacher to pass him. Montoya then passed Schumacher for first place on lap twelve. He maintained the lead until he ran wide and Michael Schumacher passed him to retake it. He led the rest of the race to claim his 54th career victory.

Following this, the season's opening round, Michael Schumacher left Australia leading the World Drivers' Championship with ten points. Montoya was four points behind in second with Räikkönen third. With sixteen races left in the season, Ferrari led the World Constructors' Championship from Williams and McLaren.