2000 Australian Grand Prix

2000 Australian Grand Prix
Race 1 of 17 in the 2000 Formula One World Championship
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Albert Park Circuit
Albert Park Circuit
Race details[1]
Date 12 March 2000
Official name 2000 Qantas Australian Grand Prix
Location Albert Park Circuit, Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Course Temporary street circuit
Course length 5.303[2] km (3.295 miles)
Distance 58 laps, 307.574[3] km (191.118 miles)
Weather Sunny,[3] Air Temp: 20 °C
Pole position
Driver
McLaren-Mercedes
Time 1:30.556[4]
Fastest lap
Driver Brazil Rubens Barrichello Ferrari
Time 1:31.481 on lap 41[3]
Podium
First
Ferrari
Second
Ferrari
Third
Williams-BMW
Lap leaders

The 2000 Australian Grand Prix (officially known as the 2000 Qantas Australian Grand Prix)[5] was a Formula One motor race held on 12 March 2000 at the Albert Park Circuit in Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia before a crowd of 124,300. It was the first race of the 2000 Formula One World Championship.[6] The 58-lap race was won by Michael Schumacher for the Ferrari team after starting from third position. Schumacher's new teammate for the 2000 season, Rubens Barrichello finished second in the other Ferrari, with Ralf Schumacher third for BMW-Williams.[7]

Mika Häkkinen started on pole position in a McLaren, with teammate David Coulthard alongside him, but both retired with pneumatic valve failures.[8] Three drivers made their Grand Prix debut: future world champion Jenson Button in a BMW-Williams, Nick Heidfeld in a Prost and Gastón Mazzacane in a Minardi. Mazzacane and Button retired from their debut race, and Heidfeld finished ninth, two laps behind.[7][9]

  1. ^ "2000 Australian Grand Prix". Motor Sport. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  2. ^ "GRAND PRIX RESULTS: AUSTRALIAN GP, 2000". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. Archived from the original on 26 June 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
  3. ^ a b c "Michael Schumacher Wins the Australian GP". Atlas F1 and Reuters. Haymarket Publications. 12 March 2000. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
  4. ^ "Hakkinen Sets 22nd Pole in Qualifying – Australian GP". Atlas F1 and Reuters. Haymarket Publications. 11 March 2000. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
  5. ^ "Australia". Formula1.com. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  6. ^ Tytler, Ewan. "The Australian GP Preview". Atlas F1. Haymarket Publications. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
  7. ^ a b "2000 Australian Grand Prix". The Official Formula 1 Website. Formula One Management. Archived from the original on 7 June 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
  8. ^ Mossop, James (13 March 2000). "Australian Grand Prix: Ferrari off to a flyer". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 November 2002.
  9. ^ "Slow starters, or dream debuts?". The Official Formula 1 Website. Formula One Management. 13 March 2007. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2015.