McLaren’s David Coulthard won against the odds in Australia on Sunday as Formula One’s new era started with world champions Ferrari pushed off the podium for the first time since 1999. Ferrari’s five times world champion Michael Schumacher finished fourth in a damaged car, ending his record run of 19 successive podiums, and the early exit of Rubens Barrichello put paid to a 54th rostrum in a row for the team. The result, in an exciting and highly-strategic race, also broke Schumacher’s grip on the championship lead for the first time since September 2000. Starting 11th, Coulthard found both luck and strategy playing into his hands for a 13th career win that will have had Formula One’s rulers rubbing their hands with delight. After rewriting the rulebook following a year of Ferrari domination, with Schumacher winning 11 of the 17 races in 2002, there was change at the top on a day that started with a downpour and ended in bright sunshine. Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya was second in a Williams, blowing his chances of winning by spinning while in the lead 11 laps from the finish. (Reuters)
