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David Coulthard Wins Australian Grand Prix Thriller

A rain shower two hours before the start of the Australian Grand Prix had the tactical heads in the pit lane looking for the best strategy for the first race of 2003. In a race that saw four race leaders, David Coulthard emerged victorious following some last minute drama with Michael Schumaches Ferrari.

On the back of such a great recent history, it is difficult not to see this result as disappointing, but we were unlucky said Mike Copson of Shell Global Solutions from the paddockMichael and Ruben qualifying display, showed the teas potential. From a Shell point of view, the new fuel performed perfectly and the fact that Michael was leading the race highlights the potential we had, it just didt quite come together today

Concerned faces all along the pit wall when the race started as drivers faced varying conditions around the circuit. It soon became clear however that the fastest way around Albert Park this afternoon was on dry tyres and drivers who had initially gained from wet rubber had to pit early to make a change.

The two Ferrari cars had made an excellent start and were disappearing into the distance with chaos reigning behind them as car grip came and went depending on the tyres they carried. Rubens Barrichello however was soon to discover the perils of this slippery track as, on Lap 6, he spun into the wall at Turn 5. Rubens was the first of a string of retirements, including two of the racs rookies, Ralph Firman and Christiano de Matta.

De Matts spin into the gravel at Turn 3 was enough to bring out the safety car, which brought the field back into line. Michael Schumacher had stopped for dry tyres and sat in sixth place in the queue.

By this stage, the track was almost completely dry, and Michael Schumacher began to claw his way back through the field towards the top of the order. The safety car made its second visit to the track on Lap 18 to allow the marshals to recover Mark Webbes Jaguar.

By Lap 42, pole sitter Michael Schumacher headed the order once again. However, having pitted twice, the questions was, would the German have to stop for fuel again. With Juan Pablo Montoya and David Coulthard behind him on the track, Michael was pushing hard.

Then, on Lap 43, one of the barge boards on Schumaches car came loose. With bodywork trailing from his car, Michael was called into the pits by the race stewards. The Ferrari team gave him the customary fuel top up and tyre change but Michael was relegated to fourth a race win out of the question.

New race leader, Juan Pablo Montoya was pushing hard in the lead, knowing that David Coulthard was behind him when he spun his Williams on the exit of Turn 2. He recovered, but not before Coulthard has inherited the lead. Understandably, Montoya drove away from his spin shaking his head. With only a handful of laps remaining, Coulthard led Montoya who was being chased by Raikkonen. Behind Raikkonen, Schumacher was driving magnificently with his damaged F2002 to keep in touch with the young Finn.

And so it was to finish. Coulthard took top honours, with Montoya second and Raikkonen third. Schumacher finished fourth and took a hard-earned 5 World Championship points. Jarno Trulls Renault finished fifth, Frentzen brought his Sauber home in sixth and Fernando Alonss Renault and Ralf Schumaches Williams made up the new points scoring positions of seventh and eighth.

Ferrari and Shels run of 53 unbroken podium finishes is at an end but the Ferrari team will be heartened with the fact that the F2002 is still the pace setter this year as the development work on the F2003 continues in Maranello.