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Message: <blockquote data-quote="flash" data-source="post: 49876" data-attributes="member: 62">Renault driver gives F1 a longed-for shot in the armMELBOURNE: Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella cruised to victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix yesterday to give Formula One a longed-for shot in the arm after a year of Ferrari domination. “It was easy from the beginning to the end,” said the Italian, who started from pole position on his debut for the French team. While the little Roman celebrated his second GP win in 142 races, Ferrari's Michael Schumacher kicked off his quest for an eighth championship with the worst start of his record-breaking career.   Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella celebrates on the podium at Melbourne's Albert Park circuit after winning the Australian Grand Prix Sunday. - Reuterspic The German, runaway winner of the first five GP last year and a record 13 out of 18, started on the back row and failed to finish after being shunted off by compatriot Nick Heidfeld in a Williams. It was left to Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, usually cast as loyal number two, to show that champions Ferrari remained a force to reckon with despite leaving their new car at home. He finished runner-up, ahead of Fisichella's Spanish team mate Fernando Alonso who had a brilliant race from 13th on the grid after being held up for 17 laps by Canadian Jacques Villeneuve's Sauber. “It shows that Ferrari has no crisis. We're here, we're going to fight,” said Barrichello. “It's still our old car and the new car is going to give us even more pleasure.” Renault lead the championship with 16 points to Ferrari's eight. Newcomers Red Bull are third on seven. Red Bull's Briton David Coulthard came close to a sensational result, running a strong second before finishing fourth, while Australian Mark Webber was fifth for Williams. Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya finished sixth on his McLaren debut and Austrian Christian Klien handed Red Bull two more points with seventh place. Finland's Kimi Raikkonen was eighth, starting from the pitlane after being pushed off the grid during an aborted first start to the race. “I was quite conservative, never pushed to the limit except at the end when Rubens was catching me and I went a little quicker,” said Fisichella, who won by 5.5 seconds. Melbourne made up for the hollowness of his only previous victory, for Jordan, at the crash-strewn 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix. Then, he was not declared winner until days after the event due to a timing error. Schumacher has 81 wins more than Fisichella but will have to wait until the next race in Malaysia to try and add to them. Heidfeld skidded into the Ferrari and shunted it off into the gravel at turn three and although Schumacher was pushed back on to the track, he pitted and retired. The world champion's race had already been wrecked by starting 19th, with an engine change before the race, after a sudden storm rained on his hopes during Saturday qualifying. Narain Karthikeyan, India's first Formula One driver, finished 15th for Jordan as the highest-ranked of the four men making their Grand Prix debuts in Australia. – Reuters</blockquote>

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