Schumacher Wins Australian GP

March 12, 2000 / 3:04 PM EST / CBS/AP

Michael Schumacher's only regret was that he didn't have more time to show off his potent Ferrari in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

So he'll have to be content with winning the first round of the Ferrari-McLaren competition expected to again be the story line this year on the Formula One circuit.

"I wanted the race to go to the end just to prove how good we are," Schumacher said Sunday. "I think this is a faster car than ever and it's reliable. I'm really delighted to drive this car."

If only the McLarens of two-time and defending series champion Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard had been around long enough to make a race of it. They had the front row for the second straight year, but fell out early.

Schumacher, a two-time series champion, went to the front when Hakkinen, who had led by 2.6 seconds, left on the 18th of 58 laps with smoke billowing from the rear of his car.

"I was very happy with the car until I was forced to retire," said Hakkinen, who managed only six laps in practice Saturday because of a mechanical problem before qualifying for the pole.

Coulthard's car had overheated on lap 11.

Mercedes motorsports boss Norbert Haug said a bad pneumatic valve caused the problems for the McLarens.

"It's a shame after all this testing that it's happened here, but that's Formula One," Haug said. "Last year, the season started like this but we recovered."

Schumacher, sidelined for a portion of last season after breaking his leg in the British Grand Prix, beat new teammate Rubens BARrichello by 11.4 seconds.

Ralf Schumacher, the winner's younger brother, was third in a Williams BMW. Canadian Jacques Villeneuve was fourth, giving the second-year British American Racing team its first championship points.

Michael Schumacher, who won the Australian GP for the first time after finishing second in 1992 and 1997, started from the second row. BARrichello, who had the fastest time in the warmup, overtook Michael Schumacher on the 45th lap, but pulled into the pits on the next lap and allowed the German to regain the lead.

Jaguar's long-awaited F1 debut lasted just six laps.

Johnny Herbert's disastrous run in practice extended into the race, with his Jaguar failing to complete the first lap. Michael Schumacher's former teammate, Eddie Irvine, the 1999 Australian GP winner, pulled off the track when Arrows driver Pedro De La Rossa crashed in front of him.