* Before the start Jean Alesi is unable to get out onto the grid and is forced to start from the pitlane.

* Lap 1: At the start Mika Hakkinen takes the lead with David Coulthard second and Michael Schumacher just hanging on to third despite a poor start. Heinz-Harald Frentzen does well to get ahead of Rubens Barrichello and Jarno Trulli slots into sixth place. Jacques Villeneuve leads the rest of the field. Jenson Button makes a great start to run 15th. On the first lap Johnny Herbert disappears with clutch trouble, while Marc Gene is an early pit caller.

* Lap 2: As Hakkinen begins to build an advantage, there are some changes in the midfield with Jos Verstappen overtaking Eddie Irvine's Jaguar for ninth and Pedro de la Rosa getting ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella's Benetton in 11th.

* Lap 3: Irvine is clearly in trouble as he drops behind de la Rosa while further back Alexander Wurz manages to get passed Button for 15th place.

* Lap 4: Jean Alesi has a spin.

* Lap 7: De la Rosa suffers a suspension problem and crashes. Irvine is taken off in the crash and a Safety Car is sent out. Hakkinen loses his two second advantage. Verstappen pits for repairs after an identical front suspension problem.

* Lap 11: The race restarts at the end of lap 10 but almost immediately Coulthard slows and goes into the pits with a pneumatic valve problem. He is sent out again but stops almost immediately.

* Lap 15: Hakkinen has started to rebuild his lead and Michael Schumacher seems unable to do much to close the gap. He was able to build a big lead over Frentzen and Barrichello is stuck behind the Jordan, while Trulli shadows the pair. Further back Villeneuve is at the head of a gaggle of cars fighting over sixth place. This includes Mika Salo's Sauber, Giancarlo Fisichella's Benetton, Ralf Schumacher's Williams and the rest.

* Lap 19: Hakkinen suddenly slows with a pneumatic valve problem. This puts Michael Schumacher into the lead with a 17 second advantage over Frentzen with Barrichello still stuck behind him. Trulli stays fourth while the battle for fifth continues behind Villeneuve.

* Lap 30: The order remains stable at the front until Michael Schumacher pits. He is at rest for 12 seconds and rejoins in third place behind Frentzen and Barrichello. Trulli remains in touch with the others and then there is a big gap back to Villeneuve. On the same lap Salo pits, dropping from sixth to 11th.

* Lap 33: Barrichello pits and has a quick stop. He rejoins in 10th place. This leaves Frentzen in the lead with Schumacher second and Trulli third, although the Italian loses a lot of time behind Schumacher. Villeneuve is fourth with Fisichella, Ralf Schumacher, Ricardo Zonta, Wurz and Button following him.

* Lap 35: Zonta and Wurz stop. This promotes Button to seventh place.

* Lap 36: Trulli goes out with a mechanical problem and on the same lap Frentzen stopped and Fisichella also comes into the pits. Frentzen has a problem with his refuelling nozzle and loses valuable time. The pit stops mean that Villeneuve is briefly second and Button fourth.

* Lap 37: Villeneuve and Button stop. Villeneuve rejoins in fourth place and Button comes out ahead of Zonta, Salo and Wurz to claim seventh place.

* Lap 38: Ralf Schumacher stops, dropping from second place to third, behind the two Ferraris. Villeneuve is fourth with Frentzen fifth but the German stops soon afterwards with a software problem with the gearbox. this promotes Fisichell to fifth and Button to sixth.

* Lap 45: Michael Schumacher has been slow for several laps. He is overtaken by Barrichello. He leads for only two laps before he stops for a second time to take on more fuel. He rejoins second.

* Lap 47: Button retires from sixth place with an engine problem.

* Lap 58: Ferrari scores a 1-2 finish with Ralf Schumacher an impressive third for Williams-BMW. Villeneuve is fourth but is chased across the line by Fisichella, Salo, Zonta and Wurz.