Raikkonen Wins Crash-Strewn Race

Finn Kimi Raikkonen was handed a provisional victory in a crash-marred Brazilian Grand Prix when the race was stopped after Fernando Alonso crashed into debris left by Australian Mark Webber's startline crash.

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 the win looked to have gone to Jordan's Giancarlo Fisichella.

Fisichella, who led the final lap before the race was stopped, was originally declared the winner ahead of Raikkonen, of McLaren-Mercedes, and third-placed Spaniard Alonso, of Renault. But Raikkonen was given the win 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.

The start of the race was delayed for 15 minutes as the race organisers debated the track conditions and was eventually started under the safety car after the rain abated. The torrential rain had dampened the Brazilian crowd's enthusiasm as Barrichello slowly led the field away with Coulthard, Webber in the Jaguar and the rest of the field following closely behind in the hanging spray.

British Jordan driver Ralph Firman, Brazilian Antonio Pizzonia, of Jaguar, and Frentzen all started from the pitlane along with Dutchman Jos Verstappen, in the Minardi. Frenchman Olivier Panis, who started from 15th on the grid, peeled in after the first lap of the race to fill the fuel tank in his Toyota after the team changed their strategy.

The 'race' continued as a slow procession until, after eight laps, the safety car pitted, Barrichello bunched the field up as he drove slowly through the final corner, and the race got underway. Barrichello's slowing tactics failed to work to his advantage as Coulthard out-foxed him and shot past to take the lead into the first corner while Webber held his third place behind.

Webber was overtaken by Finn Raikkonen on the opening lap and dropped further back as Raikkonen moved past Barrichello to claim second and Montoya followed him through half a lap later into third. Raikkonen then attempted to take the lead from teammate Coulthard when the Scot slid wide and the pair almost clashed but he got past at the start of lap 11 as they headed into turn one.

Montoya then moved through to second as the pair, lapping two seconds faster than the rest of the field, took control of the race while Barrichello dropped further and further back. Ralf Schumacher, under fire from his Williams-BMW team bosses, made a mistake and lost control of his car as he battled in the midfield pack on lap 11 and spun out but soon returned to the track and continued.

Coulthard, re-gathering his pace after taking it easy in the wet conditions, returned to second place with a smooth move on Montoya on lap 15, the same lap that Schumacher moved ahead of Webber to take fourth. German Nick Heidfeld stopped on lap 8 and Briton Justin Wilson, who started from the back of the grid in his Minardi, ended his race early when he spun out at turn three on lap 15.

Ralf Firman crashed out with a front suspension failure as he drove down the main straight on lap 18 and then crashed into Olivier Panis as they headed into the first corner. The safety car was called out after debris littered the track and the leaders took advantage by shooting into the pits, with Coulthard and Schumacher both stopping for fuel while leader Raikkonen elected to continue.

There was confusion as Montoya almost hit Trulli and, with almost all the field coming in to pit, Coulthard and Schumacher cruised up to the back of Raikkonen, who still had to pit. The race restarted on lap 23 and Raikkonen coolly led the field into the first corner as Coulthard, Schumacher and Barrichello held station in second third and fourth.

Montoya spun out on turn three and crashed into the barriers and was lucky to escape injury when Antonio Pizzonia, in the Jaguar, spun out at the same point and hit the stationary Williams. World Champion Michael Schumacher then made the same mistake when he spun out on the standing water at the same corner and the three-car pile up brought the safety car out again on lap 27.

Leader Raikkonen pitted to take advantage of the third safety car period and fuelled to the finish and he returned to the track in ninth place as the field slowed. The safety car went in on lap 30 and Coulthard made a fine re-start to take a clear lead into the first corner as Barrichello came out best in a wheel-to-wheel tussle with Ralf Schumacher.

Verstappen became the next man to spin out on turn three one lap after the re-start and although he missed the barriers he stalled the engine and was unable to continue. Briton Jenson Button became the next victim of turn three when he had a heavy crash on lap 33 but he was able to climb out of his BAR Honda soon after the accident as the safety car came out for the fourth time.

The race re-started again on lap 37, with just 11 cars left in the field, all taking a cautious line through the third corner as a dry line appeared on the rest of the circuit. Coulthard led from Barrichello, Ralf Schumacher and Alonso, but the Spaniard dropped back one lap after the re-start as Raikkonen shot past with a confident move into the first corner.

Alonso then passed Schumacher to claim fourth but lost his place when he was handed a drive-through penalty for overtaking under yellow flags and pitted on lap 42. Leader Coulthard began to come under pressure from Barrichello but behind them Webber lost control of his Jaguar, again at turn three, but he managed to control the violent spin and continue.

Coulthard went wide as he entered the first corner on lap 45 to let Barrichello through into the lead and the home crowd cheered their hero as he kept control to hold onto it through the tight s-bend. But the Brazilian, who has failed to finish a Brazilian Grand Prix since 1994, was hit by bad luck once again on lap 47 when his Ferrari ground to a halt and left him sitting on a bank by the side of the track shaking his head.

Coulthard pitted on lap 52 and handed the lead over to Raikkonen with Fisichella second in the Jordan, and the Italian took the lead when Raikkonen went wide on lap 54 at the Mergulho corner. Webber lost control of his car as he headed into the start-finish straight after a massive shunt that too off three of his wheels and left debris covering the track.

The race was then stopped when Alonso hit a stationary tyre as he headed onto the straight and he was left sitting on the track after hobbling away from his car clutching his left leg.