Hakkinen on the ropes after no-score

The Finn now has just one point from the first three races, while his team mate David Coulthard leads the race and is potentially 19 points ahead.

Hakkinen had qualified within a 0.3 seconds of Michael Schumacher on pole and said McLaren's title challenge was back on track. However, as the rest of the grid fired off the start line all the 1998-1999 World Champion was left frantically waving his arms to warn the field and the stewards that he had stalled.

"First of all the engine stopped because I pulled out the clutch to get the bite-point," said Hakkinen. "When I went to go, the clutch grabbed so aggressively, I stalled.

The Finn refused to apportion blame for the stall, insisting that the team would find out what caused the incident.

"I do not want to start making any excuses," he said. "The car just wasn't able to move because it stalled. Whatever the problem was the team will let everyone know later. They can't say anything precisely because the car is at the other side of the track."

Hakkinen's suspension broke at the opening race in Melbourne and in Malaysia he was on the wrong tyres in the rain.