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Raikkonen Wins Chaotic Brazilian GP

Finn Kimi Raikkonen was declared the winner of a chaotic and confusing Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix that was halted 17 laps from the end.

Finn Kimi Raikkonen was declared the winner of a chaotic and confusing Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix that was halted 17 laps from the end.

The race was red-flagged after Australian Mark Webber, in a Jaguar, had a major accident on the start-finish straight and Spaniard Fernando Alonso's Renault then ploughed into the wreckage.

Alonso looked hurt as he huddled against the pitlane wall, before being taken away on a stretcher at what looked like the end of a rain-hit race more resembling a demolition derby than a Grand Prix.

Despite the accident the Renault driver finished in third place behind Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and ahead of McLaren's David Coulthard.

In a thrilling race where World Champion Michael Schumacher crashed out along with seven other drivers in a rain-soaked turn three and Barrichello succumbed to technical gremlins looked to have given Jordan's Fisichella the win.

Fisichella, who led the final lap before the race was stopped, was originally declared the winner ahead of Finn Kimi Raikkonen, of McLaren-Mercedes, and third-place Spaniard Fernando Alonso, of Renault. But Raikkonen was then given the victory after the regulations declared the results from the 53rd lap would be taken as the final result, with Fisichella second and Alonso third.

Fisichella's car burst into flames in the pits after he stopped as his team jumped with joy while Alonso, crippled on the track with an injured leg, was taken away on a stretcher.

Scot David Coulthard finished fourth for McLaren-Mercedes, with Heinz-Harald Frentzen fifth for Sauber, Canadian Jacques Villeneuve sixth for BAR Honda, Mark Webber seventh for Jaguar and Jarno Trulli with the final point for Renault.

PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The Brazilian Grand Prix Interlagos, Sao Paulo; 53 Laps - 228.347 Kms; Weather: Wet. Classified: Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time 1. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 1h29:53.179 2. Fisichella Jordan Ford (B) + 0.831 3. Alonso Renault (M) + 6.695 4. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) + 7.391 5. Frentzen Sauber Petronas (B) + 9.392 6. Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) + 17.910 7. Webber Jaguar Cosworth (M) + 20.070 8. Trulli Renault (M) + 23.500 9. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) + 33.500 10. da Matta Toyota (M) + 1 lap Fastest lap: Barrichello, 1:22.032 - lap 46 Not Classified/Retirements: Driver Team On Lap Barrichello Ferrari (B) 46 Button BAR Honda (B) 32 Verstappen Minardi Cosworth (B) 30 M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 26 Montoya Williams BMW (M) 24 Pizzonia Jaguar Cosworth (M) 24 Panis Toyota (M) 17 Firman Jordan Ford (B) 17 Wilson Minardi Cosworth (B) 15 Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 4 World Championship Standing, Round 3: Drivers: Constructors: 1. Raikkonen 26 1. McLaren-Mercedes 41 2. Coulthard 15 2. Renault 23 3. Alonso 14 3. Ferrari 16 4. Trulli 9 4. Williams-BMW 14 5. Montoya 8 5. Jordan-Ford 8 = Barrichello 8 = Sauber 8 = Fisichella 8 7. BAR-Honda 5 = M.Schumacher 8 8. Jaguar-Cosworth 2 9. Frentzen 7 10. R.Schumacher 6 11. Villeneuve 3 12. Webber 2 = Button 2 14. Heidfeld 1 All timing unofficial

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