Ralf Feels Lucky to be Unhurt after Massive Shunt

Ralf Schumacher felt lucky to be alive after a high-speed crash on the first corner of the Australian Grand Prix.

Schumacher walked away uninjured but said he suffered the fright of his life after his Williams was catapulted into the air, flung across the gravel trap and into the tyre wall.

"It felt frightening, I can tell you," the 26-year-old said. "Going airborne in an aircraft is nicer than in any Formula One car. I felt like a passenger on an aeroplane and I was really lucky."

The German tried to overtake Rubens Barrichello's Ferrari which had started on pole for the opening race of the season. Schumacher, third on the grid, made a quick getaway, accelerating past the Ferrari of his brother Michael then ducking back inside Barrichello.

But Barrichello closed the gap and Ralf drove into the back of the Brazilian's Ferrari, flying into the air and triggering a series of collisions that forced eight cars out of the race. Schumacher is short-sighted and has been involved in a series of crashes including one at last year's Australian Grand Prix that resulted in the death of a track marshal.

He had been experimenting with different types of spectacles but decided to go into Sunday's race with contact lenses.

Good View

Michael, who went on to win the race after escaping the first lap mayhem, had a good view of the crash.

"I just saw cars flying everywhere and I was afraid to turn into the first corner so I just went straight ahead on to the grass which was a good decision I think," Schumacher said. "I was very frightened...you don't like to see that. I was very concerned so I radioed the pits and they told me everything was okay (with the drivers)."

Ralf Schumacher and Barrichello blamed each other for causing the crash but stewards decided to take no action after investigating the smash, describing it as "a racing incident."

Ralf Schumacher said Barrichello was to blame because he blocked him from overtaking.

"I tried to go on the inside and he closed the door, then I tried to go on the outside and he closed the door again," he said. "I tried to go back on the inside, he closed the door and braked at the same time, then he tried to brake into the first corner. It was a great start and it's a shame I did not make use of it."

But Barrichello said he was not at fault.

"If he wanted to overtake on the outside he should have moved a lot further, I didn't get in his way," the Brazilian said. "I just saw a part hitting my helmet and that's it, but it's just silly to see something like that...because we were going to be first and second out of the corner."

Jenson Button was among the other casualties of the first lap wreckage.

"I just saw the Williams go up in the air, it just went straight over the Ferrari, then on the right hand side of me," Button said. "(German driver Nick) Heidfeld went straight down the grass and took about three or four out. It was a bit hectic really."