Five rookies in the field for the Australian GP.

Rookies comprise almost a quarter of the field for the 2001 Qantas Australian Grand Prix to be held at Melbourne's Albert Park on March 1-4.

The name boards for the new drivers to be erected above the garages in pit lane for the event are ready and were on display to the Melbourne media this morning.

The five rookies in the field of 22 are:

?Juan Pablo Montoya, of Colombia winner of last year's Indianapolis 500 and CART champion in 1999; BMW-WilliamsF1 teammate of Ralf Schumacher. The last reigning Indy 500 winner to start in Melbourne was Jacques Villeneuve, who qualified on pole position in 1996 (Melbourne's first world
championship GP) and led most of the race until an oil leak slowed him and his Williams teammate Damon Hill took victory.

?Kimi Raikkonen, of Finland has only driven 23 car races, and only in Formula Renault (none in Formula 3000 or Formula 3, the traditional F1 training grounds). Raikkonen's "super-licence" to race in Melbourne has been the subject of great controversy.

?Fernando Alonso, of Spain will only be 19 years and seven months at the time of the GP little more than a month older than the youngest driver in F1 history, New Zealander Mike Thackwell, who was 19 years five months and 29 days when he started the 1980 Canadian GP, the race at which Australia's Alan Jones clinched his world title. [Alan Jones will wave the chequered flag at this year's Qantas Australian Grand Prix] Alonso will drive for the Italian-based Minardi team.

?Enrique Bernoldi, a Brazilian youngster who has graduated through Formula 3000, like Alonso. Bernoldi will drive for the Arrows team.

?Luciano Burti, another Brazilian, who becomes Eddie Irvine's teammate at Jaguar Racing, replacing the retired Johnny Herbert.