MELBOURNE -- Ralf Schumacher wiped out pole winner Rubens Barrichello in a multi-car wreck Sunday at the start of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Schumacher overtook brother Michael Schumacher for second place, then slammed into the back of Barrichello's Ferrari.

	Ralf Schumacher's Williams, right, flies over the Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello in the first corner of the first lap at Australia.

The Williams BMW climbed over the back of Barrichello's car at the first turn and catapulted into a speed trap before crashing into a wall.

"It was so frightening, I can tell you," Schumacher said. "Going airborne in an aircraft is a lot nicer than going airborne in an F1 car, which is not really made for that."

The German, who was also involved in an accident at last year's Australian Grand Prix that resulted in the death of a track marshal, said he was not to blame for causing the massive pile-up.

Schumacher told reporters after returning safely to the team's garage that the accident was not his fault because Barrichello had tried to prevent him from passing.

"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," Schumacher 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."

Barrichello denied the accident was his fault and called it "silly."

"If he wanted to overtake on the outside he should have moved over a lot further," Barrichello said.

	Crash victims
	Drivers out after first lap: Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari Ralf Schumacher, Williams Felipe Massa, Sauber Nick Heidfeld, Sauber Giancarlo Fisichella, Jordan Allan McNish, Toyota Olivier Panis, BAR Jenson Button, Renault

The pileup behind the collision claimed Giancarlo Fisichella's Jordan, the Saubers of Felipe Massa and Nick Heidfeld, Jenson Button's Renault, Olivier Panis' BAR and Allan McNish's Toyota.

None of the drivers were injured.

FIA officials allowed the race to continue and McLaren's David Coulthard took the early lead.

The accident occurred during the restart after both Arrows stalled in the scheduled start, leaving Enrique Bernoldi and Heinz-Harald Frentzen stranded on the track.

A volunteer track marshal was killed at last year's race when his was struck by a wheel that went through a hole in the fence after a high-speed collision between Ralf Schumacher and Canadian Jacques Villeneuve.

Reuters contributed to this report.