BULLETIN N�4

RACE FACTS AND INCIDENTS

Before the start of the race there are major problems for the Arrows team with both Enrique Bernoldi and Heinz-Harald Frentzen being left standing on the grid as the field departs for the final parade lap. The cars cannot be started and eventually they are pushed into the pitlane exit.

* Lap 1: The race starts with Ralf Schumacher making the best getaway and after getting ahead of his brother is looking for a way to pass Rubens Barrichello. He misjudges his braking and runs into and over the rear of he Ferrari. The Williams flies through the air but the safety installations work well and Ralf emerges unscathed. While this is happening there is chaos behind the front men as everyone tries to avoid each other. When the dusts clears there are cars everywhere with Barrichello, Ralf Schumacher, Giancarlo Fisichella, Nick Heidfeld, Felipe Massa, Jenson Button, Olivier Panis and Alan McNish all out. Michael Schumacher loses several places as he goes across the grass to avoid being taken out. Of the rest Mika Salo heads for the pits while Jacques Villeneuve also loses a lot of ground to end up 10th at the end of the first lap. The Safety Car is sent out and the order behind it is David Coulthard, Jarno Trulli, Juan Pablo Montoya, a delayed Michael Schumacher, Eddie Irvine, Pedro de la Rosa, Takuma Sato, Mark Webber and Alex Yoong and Villeneuve. Joining the race at the back is Heinz-Harald Frentzen. At the end of lap two Kimi Raikkonen pits for repairs.

* Lap 6: The race restarts with Coulthard setting off in the lead while Montoya challenges Trulli for second and goes wide, allowing Schumacher to pass the Williams and chase after Trulli. Further back Raikkonen begins his charge back up the order from 11th to ninth.

* Lap 7: Coulthard has built a seven and a half second lead in just two laps as Schumacher is held up behind Trulli. Montoya is hanging on while the rest are a long way back with Irvine fifth and Sato overtaking de la Rosa for sixth. Raikkonen passes Webber for seventh. At the back of the field Enrique Bernoldi finally joins the field in his Arrows.

* Lap 8: Raikkonen passes de la Rosa for seventh place. Further back Villeneuve overtakes Webber for ninth.

* Lap 9: Trulli spins off in the fast sweepers at the back of the track and the Renault ends up in the middle of the road. The Safety Car is sent out again but before the field catches up with it there are several other overtaking moves as Raikkonen jumps ahead of Sato. Villeneuve and Bernoldi pit.

* Lap 11: At the last corner before the restart Coulthard goes off as he gets ready for the battle to recommence.

* Lap 12: The race is on again and Montoya blasts ahead of Schumacher as the two men go down into the first corner. Raikkonen is up to third with Coulthard fourth, Irvine fifth and de la Rosa back to sixth because Sato goes into the pits.

* Lap 13: Villeneuve pits for a second time while Coulthard is obviously in trouble as he slides off the track again.

* Lap 14: Sato pits again and retires.

* Lap 17: After several laps of running close together Schumacher gets ahead of Montoya when the Williams runs wide at one corner. Michael immediately begins to pull away at speed as Montoya begins to struggle with his tyres. Behind him the order is settled with Raikkonen chasing Montoya. Coulthard was fourth with Irvine a long way back in fifth.

* Lap 18: Pedro de la Rosa begins to drop back, losing places to the two Minardis and Villeneuve.

* Lap 19: Frentzen is black-flagged for having ignored the red light at the end of the pitlane when he joined the race.

* Lap 21: De la Rosa pits for repairs.

* Lap 22: Schumacher's lead is already up to 11 seconds, Coulthard continues to have problems and goes off again.

* Lap 23: Irvine overtakes Coulthard to take fourth place. Bernoldi is black-flagged for using the T-car illegally, ending a disappointing day for Arrows.

* Lap 25: Webber moves up to fifth passing the troubled Coulthard.

* Lap 26: Villeneuve overtakes Coulthard to take sixth place.

* Lap 28: Villeneuve disappears from the race when the rear wing fails and he spins off at high speed. he nudges the barriers but emerges unhurt.

* Lap 29: Coulthard is overtaken by Alex Yoong, putting the Malaysian into sixth place in his Minardi.

* Lap 32: Mika Salo, who is at the back of the field stops for his mid-race pit stop.

* Lap 34: Coulthard finally retires, his car having been stuck in sixth gear for some laps.

*Lap 35: Webber stops and there is a problem with the fuel hose and he loses 34 seconds as the problem is solved.

* Lap 37: Montoya, Irvine and Yoong all pit.

* Lap 38: Schumacher and Raikkonen pit, Raikkonen gets out ahead of Montoya but goes off at the first corner allowing Montoya to get the place back again. The order is thus Schumacher (ahead by 20 seconds), Montoya and Raikkonen. Irvine is a lap behind with Webber a lap behind him. Salo has got ahead of Yoong and the only other man running is de la Rosa several laps down.

* Lap 42: De la Rosa drops further back as he has his second pit stop.

* Lap 48: The order is now settled but it is clear that Webber is struggling to match the times being set by Salo. The Finn closes up on the Minardi in his Toyota.

* Lap 55: Salo challenges Webber for fifth but makes a mess of it and spins.

* Lap 58: Michael Schumacher wins with Montoya and Raikkonen second and third. Irvine is a surprising fourth while the crowd (and the Minardi pit goes mad) as Webber takes fifth place on his Grand Prix debut. Salo finishes sixth to give Toyota a point on its F1 debut.