1999 European Grand Prix
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Salo, meanwhile, is being rolled back into the pits - his race is Finn-ished.
There's double-waved yellows for Takagi, as Schumacher is right on Herbert's tail. Herbert's still on wets, Schumacher's on slicks, and the Brit hangs onto second.
Crash
Takagi's in the wall! The Arrows driver goes onto the white line, slides onto the wet grass - and at that point, he's just a passenger.
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Schumacher pits from the lead, then - that should be his final stop of the day! He relinquishes the lead to Fisichella, also falling behind Herbert in the process.
Fisi also hangs onto second but Herbert is reeling in the Benetton having, you know, not gone off the road.
Crash
Fisichella has another off, but it looks as though he's managed to avoid the barriers. Well held, Giancarlo.
Sun's out, wheelguns out? It's very wet in places, but it's also pretty dry at certain corners - as Zonta passes Hakkinen.
Pit stop
Indeed, it's Irvine - he's putting wets on and heading back out - he drops from seventh to eighth, such are the gaps.
The rain seems to be getting even worse, with big rooster-tails of spray pouring off the back of the cars. Meanwhile, Ferrari seems to be ready to bring Irvine in.
Schumacher is now building a big break on Fisichella - the Italian is almost 20s in arrears now.
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This has been a manic race indeed. Ralf Schumacher leads from Fisichella. Herbert has third place from Barrichello and Trulli, as Villeneuve has dragged his BAR into P6. Who'd have thought it?
Coulthard effectively ends his title tilt after throwing his car off the road
Crash
That's Coulthard in the wall! David Coulthard has thrown the lead away - and Ralf Schumacher now leads!
And Takagi has a spin too! There's lots of drivers struggling with the weather out here - and understandably so.
Coulthard looks as though he's struggling though - it's a lot wetter out there than it was before.
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Crucially, Coulthard carries on - as Alesi meanwhile peels over at the side of the track.
Trulli also stops, as does one of the Minardis. Schumacher seems set to pit too.
Pit stop
Herbert comes in to stop from fifth, taking a gamble on wet tyres.
And that's Salo off! The Ferrari driver has tumbled off the road in what's been a dreadful day for the Finnish driver.
Rain
And the rain's just...appeared! It's absolutely raining cats and dogs out there.
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After all that drama, it's Coulthard from Schumacher from Barrichello as it stands - the Stewart is yet to stop.
Heartbreak for Frentzen. At this rate, he was going to be tied with the leading duo of Hakkinen and Irvine in the title fight - but instead, he punches the wheel in frustration.
Crash
Frentzen's stopped! The long-time leader is out of the race - and Frentzen is absolutely distraught. Coulthard assumes the lead.
It's Frentzen! He has the lead once more...
Frentzen and Coulthard come in to pit! Who's going to lead?
Fisichella has lapped Hakkinen, who clears de la Rosa for 13th.
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It's a big squirm for Frentzen, and the Jordan driver just about hangs onto his car into the chicane ahead of Coulthard - who's right on his tail now.
Stopwatch
It's a 1m21.835 for Coulthard, a new fastest lap for this race as he closes the gap to Frentzen.
Pit stop
Trulli pits from fourth place, and rejoins in ninth ahead of 10th-placed Badoer.
Schumacher pits from second, attempting to undercut Frentzen. Coulthard will shuffle up a place, with a quick stop for Williams there.
Schumacher has taken about 1.5s out of Frentzen's lead over the past couple of laps - and the Williams driver is just 0.4s behind the man he traded seats with in the winter.
There's your top three: Frentzen, Schumacher, Coulthard. They're oh-so-close.
Pit stop
Hakkinen, finally, yields and returns to the pits for a set of slicks.
Marc Gene, in the Minardi, passes Hakkinen. The championship leader. Let that sink in for a moment.
Irvine clears Hakkinen already, as Salo gets lapped. It's pass or be passed, and Ferrari did both in a matter of seconds.
There's a big gap behind Fisichella, and then Barrichello and Trulli. The two cars are in the top six.
Frentzen is coming up to lap Takagi, who retreats to the pitlane.
Hakkinen is on wet tyres and he's in 10th - so he'll have to re-pit again soon. McLaren jumped the gun it seems, and not for the first time today.
Schumacher went deep into the chicane, but remains ahead of Coulthard as the top three elect not to pit - the rain, for now, has stopped.
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Irvine's in, but he's missing a right-rear tyre! That's absolutely ruined Irvine's race there, as Ferrari couldn't decide where his tyre had done! Disastrous.
By: Jake Boxall-Legge
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