I know, I know. It has come a bit late - well 8 months late but here it is, the complete guide to the Australian GP 2001. Remember good writing knows no age. By the way watch out for my reports on other GP's too

There is no better place to hold a GP opener than at the Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia. Renowned for being well organised and exciting round 1 promises to be an absolute blast.

Despite the Melbourne GP always being so well organised it has only been a permanent fixture in the elusive F1 calender since 1996. It was in 1985 when Australia joined the race by hosting their round of the world championship at Adelaide on the south coast of Australia. It gained its status by being the final race of the year and usually the championship decider. Its walls, large kerbs and thin design meant it was one of the most challenging tracks in the world. This cumulated to make Adelaide one of the most look-forward to of GP's. Who can forget the Mansell, Piquet and Prost battle for the title at Adelaide. Mansell was heading for the title when fate got hold of him and his Williams when a blow out on the high speed back straight forced him out and let Prost storm to victory. And who can forget the 1994 showdown when Schumacher shut the door on Hill forcing them both out of the race and letting the German take his first ever title. Despite some magic moments though Adelaide ran out of money and so Bernie was looking for a replacement. In the end he chose Albert Park. Albert Park is situated in Melbourne, Victoria - the motor racing capital of Australia. When the circuit came to Melbourne they were wowed by the spohistication and class display the track and the authorities had put on. Some fantastic races and magnificent management meant Melbourne will be on the F1 calender for a few more years yet.

So what is the track like? The long first straight which runs along the grandstand leads into the challenging first turn. The Brambham/Jones chicane has often seen plenty of action - remember when Irvine, Herbert and Villeneuve collided in 1997. The tight Jones turn leads into the sweeping Brambham exit meaning you can accelerate straight out of it. A short blast is followed by another tight turn which is probably the most important - and most eventful - corner of the whole track. Remember Martin Brundle doing the loop - da - loop there in 1996 in his Jordan? Another tap on the brake leads into the Whiteford corner and on to yet another chicane which is similar to the first called Albert road. This corner is also one of the most eventful. A short squirt around the marina - which looks fantastic from the air - seems easy enough but it can reek havoc on your rear wing as Jacques Villeneuve discovered in 1999 with his BAR. The Clark Chicane is up next and is very tight but you can revive yourself on the next long, sweeping curve which then leads into the wide left, right of Waite. Then its a race to Ascari which can be one of the hardest but most opportunist corners on the track because you can pass there. A small twisty part if the circuit leads into the ultra-tight Prost section which if you get it right can lead you down the home straight and into another lap.

Effectivly the F1 season starts from the moment an F1 car turns it’s wheel on the track. So who was the first to caress the first corner. We hear an engine and it’s new Brazilian Enrique Bernoldi’s Arrows Asia-tech car. It wasn’t long when cars began to stream out of the pits including the first of the big runners. Rubens Barrichello hopes to put an indifferent season and really show himself to be a force to be reckoned with. It showed when he set the fastest time which know-one could get near. Until that is when Michael Schumacher came out and showed eveyone how it is done.

Meanwhile furthur down the grid Tarso Marques driving his first race in 4 years for the undeveloped Minardi was outside the 107% qualifying mark and all set to not start tomorrow’s race. However the officals showed pity for the little Italian team who’s car was only built two weeks before the first race and Friday’s practice session was effectively the Minardi’s first test session. Marques was allowed to start the race due to officials taking into account Marques was only signed a week before the first race.

1 MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
2 RUBENS BARRICHELLO
3 MIKA HAKKINEN
4 HEINZ HARALD FRENTZEN
5 RALF SCHUMACHER
6 DAVID COULTHARD
7 JARNO TRULLI
8 JAQUES VILLNEUVE
9 OLIVIER PANIS
10 NICK HEIDFELD
11 JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
12 EDDIE IRVINE
13 KIMI RAIKKONEN
14 JOS VERSTAPPEN
15 JEAN ALESI
16 JENSON BUTTON
17 GIANCARLO FISSICHELLA
18 ENRIQUE BERNOLDI
19 FERNANDO ALONSO
20 GASTON MAZZACANE
21 LUCIANO BURTI
22 TARSO MARQUES

However a much more serious accident unfolded on the very next lap. Jaques Villneuve and Ralf Schumacher had collided heavily sending both flying into the barriers. Replay’s showed the ferocity of the accident. Villneuve was cruising behind the slowing Schumacher when the German braked suddenly in front of the unsuspecting Canadian sending the BAR literally flying into the side of the barriers. Carbon fibre schrapnal was littered across the track prompting the arrival of the safety car. However it seemed the accident had been even bigger than first suspected. Although the drivers were unharmed a marshall had been seriously injured and had been rushed to hospital.

JACQUES VILLENEUVE
RALF SCHUMACHER
GASTON MAZZACANE
TARSO MARQUES
ENRIQUE BERNOLDI
MIKA HAKKINEN
JARNO TRULLI

But with all the events happening around Schumacher managed to keep his cool and cruise to an excellent victory leaving all his rivals trailing behind. With Barrichello in third Ferrari’s season got off to a nearly perfect start. Coulthard drove home to second to give Britain 6 points. Panis made a welcome return to F1 to finish an excellent 4th. However an after race scrutiny witnessed Panis passing under yellow’s. This resulted in a 25 second penalty which dropped the Frenchman into 7th-and out of the points. Moving up to 4th goes Nick Heidfeld in the revitalised Sauber. The German has never scored points before and his 4th place has been richly deserved after an awful season with Prost. After being punted off the track Frentzen made an excellent recovery and finished 5th and with it 2 points. With Panis’s penalisation the final scoring spot goes to the incredible Kimi Raikkonen. In only his 24th ever race the Finn has scored points in his first ever Grand Prix. The most impressive debut ever in F1. The only other British intrest came in the form of Eddie Irvine who had to pit late on finished 11th