Report: Rubens steps aside for Schuey

The duo had led the race all the way, with Barrichello clearly having an edge over his team-mate for once. As they began the final lap, Schumacher had closed in on the Brazilian, but it seemed unthinkable that he would have to cede to team-orders. Afterall, Schumacher is hardly under threat in the world championship standings.

But as they exited the final corner, Ferrari showed just how ruthless it is in its quest to deliver Schumacher the championship as early as possible. Barrichello left it late, but he slowed to let Michael cross the line. As the crowd booed, Schumacher looked embarrassed and later said the decision wasn't his. For more, click here. For Jean Todt's defence of the decision, click here.

Barrichello meanwhile accepted the team team orders, saying his time for race wins will come soon at Ferrari. For more, click here.

But the controversy at the end of the race should be overshadowed with relief that Jordan rookie Takuma Sato is still alive. He was involved in a hugely violent accident and appears to have got away with it relatively unscathed.

The impact took place directly after a safety car restart. Nick Heidfeld lost control under braking for Turn Two and the Sauber slid backwards at high speed towards the corner. It just missed the front of Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams, but Sato wasn't so lucky. The rear of Heidfeld's car smashed into the side of the Jordan, causing an explosion of carbon fibre.

The F1 medical team worked on Sato at the side of the track for some time before moving him into an ambulance. Incredibly, the news filtered through that Takuma appeared to be unhurt. He was transported to a hospital in Graz by helicopter for checks.

Up to that point, the Ferraris had driven away from the field, clearly on an agressive two-stop strategy in what is usually a one-stop race. Barrichello had made a clean start to lead, with Schumacher passing the Williams of his brother Ralf for second. By lap 22, their lead over Schuey Jr and his team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya was already over 30 seconds, and even with two stops to make, they looked comfortable.

Then Olivier Panis suffered a problem on his BAR that caused his rear wheels to seize on the main straight. He did well to keep his car out of the wall and it came to a stop in the middle of the road. The safety car was the only option.

The Ferraris took the opportunity to pit, Schumacher queuing up behind Barrichello. They rejoined with Rubens still leading, but Michael dropping behind Ralf to third.

The restart appeared to be a clean one, only for disaster to strike at the second corner. Heidfeld's impact with Sato simply took one's breath away.

The race went green again on lap 37, with the Williams pair the only drivers not to have made their stops in the two safety car periods. Ten laps after the restart, Ralf came in for his stop, with Montoya leaving it for a further four laps. The Colombian was the sole Michelin runner to choose the harder compound tyre and only took on fuel at his stop. It allowed him to rejoin in front of Ralf to secure what would become third place. The Ferraris made their second stops on laps 61 and 62, re-emerging with Barrichello still ahead of Schumacher - and also well clear of either Williams.

It stayed that way until those final few metres of the race when Ferrari pulled off its familiar team orders trick - doing no favours to the sport as it did so.

Giancarlo Fisichella added to Jordan's relief that Sato was okay by scoring the team's first points of the year with a canny fifth place. He had taken the place when David Coulthard ran off the road at the last corner. The McLaren chased the Jordan home for sixth, with Jenson Button just out of the points in seventh.

Jacques Villeneuve put in one of the drives of the race in his BAR. Starting a lowly 17th, he gambled on a two-stop strategy and roared through the field in the first part of the race. Even a drive-through penalty for hitting Heinz-Harald Frenzten's Arrows on the opening lap couldn't stop him - he took it during one of the safety car periods.

He inherited third when the Williams pair made their single stops. But the Canadian still had his second pit visit to make and it dropped him back to eighth. After such a spirited drive, Villeneuve wasn't even rewarded with a finish as his car expired on the last lap.

That promoted the Toyotas of Mika Salo and Allan McNish to eighth and ninth, the last of the day's finishers.

For full race results, click here.

For full championship standings, click here.

For race gallery, click here.

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