THE champagne stayed firmly corked in the bottle as world champion Michael Schumacher's victory celebrations in Australia today turned into a muted and sombre affair.

Schumacher should have been savouring one of the best victories of his career as he launched the defence of his drivers' crown with an impeccable display in Melbourne's Albert Park.

But the podium ceremony after his fifth successive victory from pole was perfunctory, the Ferrari driver barely managing a half-smile as he was awarded the gleaming trophy.

Just moments before Schumacher had been told of the death of a marshal following a 150mph crash involving his brother Ralf and Canada's Jacques Villeneuve.

Death has become a rare event in a sport where carnage was often the order of the day just a decade or so ago. Though when it comes, it brings a chilling reminder of the dangers drivers and volunteers face each race.

The German, though, will surely get plenty more opportunities this season to drink the champagne he admits makes him giddy on the podium if this convincing victory is anything to go by.

Schumacher can hardly have enjoyed a more emphatic and easier victory in a win count that now stands at 45, just six off Frenchman Alain Prost's all-time record.

The margin may have been only 1.7 seconds over David Coulthard, but he eased up in the closing laps knowing he was sure to join Jack Brabham, Jim Clark and Nigel Mansell as a winner five times in a row.

Italian Alberto Ascari's record of nine victories, stretching over his title winning seasons of 1952 and 53 remains a distant target, but on this form only a fool would bet against him.

''At the end I slowed my pace because the important thing is to win, not the margin you do it by,'' said Schumacher after the 58-lap encounter that proved an awesome warning to his rivals.

''I was fast when I needed to be and so I just wanted to bring the car home."

Schumacher only relinquished the lead for four laps to Coulthard following his solitary pit-stop in front of a crowd of 128,500 people.

But Coulthard was relieved to come home second after almost being squeezed out of the contest within seconds of the lights signalling the start of the 17-race season.

The Scot's McLaren was nearly the filling in a Jordan and Williams sandwich, but he survived to eventually take second.

''It was a very messy start everyone was over eager because it was the first race of the season,'' said Coulthard.

''My race was nearly over within 100 metres as I went between the Jordan and the Williams and got squashed, but thankfully they both moved out."

Jaguar Racing's Eddie Irvine finished 11th after being shunted off the track by the Williams of Colombia's debutant Juan Pablo Montoya, who later had an engine blow-up.

Jenson Button's miserable first weekend as a Benetton driver culminated with 14th and last place