Length: 5.303 km
Number of Laps: 58 (307.574 Km)
Best Lap: M. Schumacher - 1'28''214 (2001, Ferrari)
Record Pole: R. Barrichello - 1'25''843 (2002, Ferrari)
2002 Pole: R. Barrichello - 1'25''843 (Ferrari)
2002 Podium: M. Schumacher - J. Montoya - K. Raikkonen

Overnight rain had left the Melbourne track slightly damp while the clouds overhead seemed to indicate that perhaps Minardi had made a wise decision by ordering its drivers to abort their qualifying laps thus allowing the team to continue working on its cars until shortly before the race and thus set them up for the conditions.

Unfortunately a last minute problem meant that Jos Verstappen would be starting the race from the pitlane rather than the back of the grid.

One thing that mystified everyone was that both Ferraris ran a couple of laps before joining the grid - rather than the customary one - which seemed odd given the new fuel regulations. Oh well, soon all will be revealed.

Several drivers on dry tyres, notably Raikkonen, Montoya, the Jaguar drivers, Verstappen and Panis, while most of the field is on wets. As the cars form up on the grid Raikkonen pulls into the pitlane.

For the most part it's a clean start with Schumacher getting the edge on his team-mate, the drivers on dry tyres struggle, will it pay off?

Schumacher, Barrichello, Heidfeld, Montoya, Frentzen, Button, Villeneuve, Alonso, Trulli & Coulthard.

It's business as usual as the Ferraris begin to pull away while Panis has slipped back eleventh. At the end of the second lap Schumacher has an eleven second lead over Montoya in third, while Coulthard stops for who appear to be intermediates.

As the Ferraris pull away the real battle is going on behind Alonso and Button battling for sixth. Having dealt with the Englishman, the Spaniard closes on Heidfeld, he takes him for fifth, no problem.

End of lap 4 and Montoya is closing his dry tyres are coming into their own. Villeneuve pits as Coulthard (18) is on a charge. The Ferraris will need to stop while Ralf Schumacher passes Panis.

Rubens gets a drive-through penalty as Alonso moves up to fourth having passed Frentzen. Barrichello hit the wall before he can make it back for his drive-through, the first retirement of the day. Coulthard posts the fastest lap of the race.

Montoya is hunting down Schumacher, the gap down to 3.8s, while Firman goes into the wall at the exit to turn 2.

Schumacher pits allowing Montoya through to take the lead, he's out in 14.2s after a problem with the left rear. Alonso sets the fastest lap as Heidfeld pits.

Eight laps completed: Montoya, Alonso, Trulli, Ralf, Webber and Panis is the top 6 as da Matta spins off, the third retirement of the day. The safety car comes out. Panis, Fisichella, Pizzonia and Wilson all take advantage of the safety car to pit.

As the safety car leads the field round, the McLarens are sixth (Raikkonen) and eighth (DC), sitting pretty and sandwiching Schumacher.

Ninth is Villeneuve ahead of Panis, Button, Frentzen, Fisichella and Verstappen. Alonso surprisingly pits thus dropping from second to last! His team-mate Trulli takes over the second spot behind Montoya.

The safety car pulls off at the end of lap 11 and Montoya heads off into the distance, Raikkonen and Schumacher take advantage of Webber demoting the Australian from fourth to sixth in an instant.

The WilliamsF1 boys sandwich Trulli, a good sign for Michelin.

Lap 12 and Montoya leads by 1.5s from Trulli, Ralf, Raikkonen, Michael, Webber and Coulthard, behind this lot Villeneuve leads his team-mate Jenson Button.

Montoya posts fastest lap as Michael closes on Kimi.

Another fastest lap from the Colombia as he fuel load decreases. Michael continues to shadow Kimi as Ralf is all over Trulli. Webber is holding station until his right-rear suspension fails a sad end to a promising performance, Coulthard benefits by moving up to sixth.

16 Laps gone and Juan Pablo leads almost 7s. The first four, Montoya, Trulli, Ralf and Kimi are the only drivers not to have pitted, they all come in together, with the exception of Raikkonen - yes, both Williams! Ralf has a problem with his right rear, the German gets away but he's angry and shows it by spinning as he exits the pits.

Kimi now leads Schumacher by 2s ahead of Coulthard, Villeneuve, Button and Panis while Montoya has dropped to seventh.

Wilson returns to the pit for some work on his car as the safety car comes out while Webber's car is removed.

Behind the safety car it's Kimi from Michael, and DC as Villeneuve is slow to react and almost loses ground to his team-mate.

Kimi pulls away from the Ferrari but he has yet to stop, meanwhile Heidfeld pulls off, his race over. The German has a tyre failure and almost takes out the hapless Ralf Schumacher.

Schumacher shadows Kimi - the gap hovers around the 2s mark - the German waiting to make his move, the Finn still hurting from last year's French GP. The Finn is struggling as his tyres begin to go off, Schumacher watches.

23 laps completed and the gap is down to 0.3s, Coulthard in third from Villeneuve, Button, Montoya, Panis, Frentzen, Fisichella and Trulli. If Villeneuve is waiting for Button to prove himself, now could be the time, the gap between them down to 0.4s.

The two BARs pit together a ludicrous situation as Button loses out badly, a most unprofessional move. Once it's settled down it's clear that Button lost 13s as a result of his team's poor judgement.

Schumacher continues to shadow Raikkonen who is super-cool despite the pressure. The German sets a new fastest lap and a lap record, he bides his time.

Wilson who has been in the pits for more than ten laps has now retired, meanwhile his team-mate Verstappen is just outside the points in ninth.

The Ferrari crew get ready, the German is going to stop before the Finn. 9s, he returns to the fray in sixth as Panis gets a drive-through for crossing the yellow line when exiting the pits.

Officially Kimi is the only driver not to stop, but let's not forget that he stopped before the race began and started from the pitlane, an inspired decision from the Woking team.

Button (14) closes on his team-mate, getting the gap down to 10s, as Raikkonen ups his pace.

Jos the Boss passes Pizzonia to put Minardi in the points, the Dutch prepare for a national holiday. BAR reveals that the pit stop strategy error was down to communications problems. Verstappen stops for fuel but has problems getting away losing valuable time.

Coulthard pits, the Scot exiting the pits behind Schumacher. Raikkonen from Montoya, Frentzen and Fisichella.

Raikkonen finally pits at the end of lap 32, the Finn is stationary for 11.9s and exits ahead of Schumacher in second ahead of Frentzen and Schumacher. Meanwhile Panis has stopped out on the circuit, a bad day for Toyota.

Montoya leads Raikkonen by 10s, with Frentzen, Schumacher, Coulthard, Trulli, Alonso, Ralf, Villeneuve and Pizzonia making up the top ten. Thirteen cars still running.

Schumacher closes on Frentzen, the Ferrari surprising seeming unable to get past the Sauber, which of course uses a Ferrari engine. To save any embarrassment Frentzen pit for fuel.

Meanwhile the stewards reveal that they are investigating car number 6, Kimi Raikkonen.

Schumacher closes on Raikkonen while Montoya enjoys a 12s lead. Michael makes a move on the Finn at the end of the pit straight at the end of lap 37, but the Finn is having none of it, the door is very firmly closed. It's to no avail though as the McLaren star gets a drive-through penalty. The penalty is for speeding in the pitlane.

38 laps completed and Montoya leads Raikkonen - who has yet to stop - by 16s, however the Colombia will need to make another stop.

At the end of the next lap (39) Kimi serves his penalty exiting the pitlane in sixth behind the two Renaults and even Verstappen, though the Dutch driver is a lap down.

Montoya is pushing hard, his lead now up to 18s. Schumacher second followed by Coulthard, Alonso, Trulli and Raikkonen. Ralf had been running in sixth but pits re-joining the race in eighth.

At the end of lap 42 Montoya pits to allow Schumacher into the lead. The big question however is does the German need to stop again? All will be revealed over the remaining 16 laps.

As it settles down once again, Schumacher leads from Montoya, the gap is 11.7s, behind them Coulthard is third ahead of Trulli, Raikkonen, Frentzen, Alonso, Ralf, Fisichella and Villeneuve.

A piece of Schumacher's bargeboard comes off while the Ferrari's floor also appears to be damaged, the German fighting to control the car.

The piece of carbon fibre hangs from the F2002, will the German be brought in by his team or the race stewards? His team prepares for a stop.

The race stewards call Schumacher in, the German will be frustrated however there is still the possibility that he might have needed to stop anyway.

The German blasts out of the pits in fourth behind Raikkonen while Montoya leads Coulthard by 2.4s.

Montoya spins and loses the lead, he continues but the Colombian can be seen shaking his head in anger and frustration - wait until Patrick Head gets hold of him!

End of lap 48 and DC leads by 11s ahead of Kimi, Schumacher, Trulli, Frentzen, Alonso, Ralf, Fisichella and Villeneuve.

Coulthard seems to have the race under control while attention focuses on Raikkonen and Schumacher who are shadowing Montoya. The German has two vital pieces of his car, aerodynamically speaking, but he's still keeping up the pressure.

Eight laps remaining and still 13 cars running.

Coulthard leads by 11.6s while Montoya is a mere 0.3s ahead of Kimi while Schumacher is right behind.

6 laps remaining and Kimi is all over Montoya, Schumacher waits allowing the Finn to do all the hard work, wearing the WilliamsF1 driver down.

A bad day for Jaguar as Pizzonia pulls off, while Fisichella too seems to have a terminal problem.

Four laps to go and Coulthard continues to pull away the order behind remains the same, a waiting game.

We could be witnessing a little piece of F1 history here, if Schumacher doesn't get onto the podium it will be the first time in over 50 races.

Coulthard takes a well-earned win ahead of Montoya, Kimi, Schumacher, Trulli, Frentzen, Alonso, Ralf, Villeneuve, Button and Verstappen.

We're hearing adjectives such as 'stunning', 'exciting' and 'thrilling', but let's face it, it's business as usual with McLaren, Williams and Ferrari still dominating matters. Lots of incidents yes, but the 'procession' during the last few laps, indicate that there's still room for improvement.