Anderson Criticises FIA's 'Absurd' Decision

Jordan's director of race engineering Gary Anderson has criticised the FIA's decision to deploy the safety car instead of stopping the Australian Grand Prix after a dramatic start of the race.

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, starting on pole, saw Ralf Schumacher's Williams ploughing into the rear of his Ferrari and was launched into the air before plunging into the tyre barriers. Italian Giancarlo Fisichella in the Jordan, Brazilian Felipe Massa and Nick Heidfeld in the Saubers, Renault's Jenson Button, BAR's Olivier Panis and British debutant Allan McNish for Toyota all packed up there and then.

With the Arrows of German Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Enrique Bernoldi both failing to start on the formation lap, the accident stripped the race of nearly half the field but, controversially, there was no re-start. With the safety car leading Coulthard around for four laps before pulling in, the decision to continue sparked outrage among some teams.

"It was a silly accident but the decision not to stop the race by the FIA is absolutely absurd," said Jordan's Gary Anderson.

Ralf, who was also involved in a crash last year that killed a Melbourne marshal, had weaved past his older brother Michael at the start before running out of space as Barrichello's car slowed trying to enter the first corner ahead.

He emerged shaken but unhurt, leaving wrecked cars littering the track after they tried to avoid his shunt. "It felt frightening, I can tell you," he said. "Going airborne in an aircraft is nicer than in any Formula One car.

"Rubens closed the door on me once, then he did it twice."