Motor Sport: Renault's Fernando Alonso won an incident-packed Australian Grand Prix early this morning to take a 14-point lead in the Formula One standings after three races.
The 24-year-old world champion claimed his second victory of the season when he established an early lead then held off McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen to win by less than two seconds on a dramatic afternoon at Albert Park.
"The car was perfect. We were not in danger of losing the race at any time," said the Spaniard of his 10th career win. "There were no problems at all."
Germany's seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher was among a handful of drivers involved in high-speed crashes that interrupted the race.
"It's clear we have work to do," said a dejected Schumacher.
Schumacher's team mate Felipe Massa also wrecked his Ferrari when he slammed into a wall while Juan Pablo Montoya, Christian Klien, Jarno Trulli, Nico Rosberg and Vitantonio Liuzzi were also involved in accidents.
"It was a weekend to forget," Ferrari team boss Jean Todt said. "Going home without points is a very bitter feeling, given that we have all we need to succeed."
Jenson Button, who started on pole position, avoided most of the mayhem only to pull over within sight of the finish line when his Honda's engine blew and burst into flames. He had been in fifth place.
Almost half the drivers failed to complete the 57-lap race while the safety car was introduced on four occasions.
Ralf Schumacher steered his Toyota to third place, despite a stop-go penalty for exceeding the pit-lane speed limit, ahead of fellow German Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber and Alonso's Italian team mate Giancarlo Fisichella.
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve was sixth for BMW Sauber, Button's Brazilian team mate Rubens Barrichello was seventh with Red Bull's Coulthard claiming a single point for eighth.