This afternoon's Belgian Grand Prix began under very cloudy conditions, however the Spa-Francorchamps circuit was dry as the drivers took to the grid for the formation lap. Juan Pablo Montoya led the rest of the field around as they completed the preliminary lap of the circuit, however the Minardi of Fernando Alonso, fails to get away from the line. The Spaniard will have to start from the back of the grid. The lights go out and they're go in Belgium, no, not quite, Frentzen stalls on the grid causing it to be aborted!

The drivers complete another formation lap and the Prost driver is now at the back of the grid, such a shame after his forth placed grid position. The drivers come around again and this time Juan Pablo Montoya stalls on the grid!! The Colombian now the third man to be sent to the back of the grid, what a disaster! Third time lucky and the drivers finally get away, Ralf from his inherited pole position with Michael Schumacher handed a clean run off the grid due to the empty spot in front of him. The Ferrari driver uses it to his advantage and takes the lead from his younger brother.

Giancarlo Fisichella gets a good getaway and climbs to fourth spot behind Rubens Barrichello. Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard are now fifth and sixth. Frentzen is up to 20th, having passed both Minardi's while Montoya is in 17th behind the Arrows of Jos Verstappen. He passes the Dutchman for 16th as Schumacher begins to open up an early lead, the German driver already three seconds down the road. Hakkinen gets past Fisichella for fourth place and David Coulthard soon follows suit, the Scotsman now in fifth place.

Kimi Raikkonen is closing in on seventh placed Villeneuve, the Finn taking the place on lap 3. Montoya puts another driver behind, passing the Jaguar of Eddie Irvine for fifteenth, the Colombian is really on a charge! After all his problems here this weekend, Fernando Alonso retires from the Belgian Grand Prix. Lap five and the Prost of Luciano Burti and the Jaguar of Irvine are involved in a big crash and Burti is off head first into the tyre wall and out comes the safety car. The two drivers were alongside each other at the time with sticking to the racing line. However Burti's front right tyre touched the Jaguar and he just went straight off the track and into the tyre wall with amazing speed. The car is buried under the tyres and Irvine runs to his aid, desperately helping the marshals to get the tyres off the Prost driver. No movement from inside the cockpit. A look of deep concern is on Alain Prost's face as medics rush to his driver's aid, the race is red-flagged as an ambulance makes it's way around to the scene.

A blanket is up around the car and paramedics carefully remove the Brazilian from the cockpit and carry him to the awaiting ambulance. The other drivers are all on the grid in the positions they held when the red flag came out. All are looking a little nervous as Burti is taken to hospital. The stricken Prost is completely destroyed, the two front tyres ripped off in the impact and it looks as if the top of the car is pretty smashed up as well. Marshals are re-building the tyre wall and initial reports indicate that the Brazilian is okay, Eddie Irvine confirming through Niki Lauda that Luciano is conscious.

The race gets back underway and this time Ralf Schumacher stalls! Giancarlo Fisichella shoots up into second place behind Michael Schumacher. Rubens Barrichello is third with David Coulthard now up close behind the Ferrari in fourth. Mika Hakkinen is back in sixth place with the second Benetton of Jenson Button in fifth. Montoya's miserable race finally comes to an end, the Colombian retiring his BMW powered Williams with a blown engine!

Pedro de la Rosa enters the pits after a coming together with the Sauber of Nick Heidfeld, the Spaniard retires the sole remaining Jaguar, the Milton Keynes team now out of the Belgian Grand Prix all together. Heidfeld is also out of the race, leaving only fifteen runners. Both Jordan's pass Jenson Button with Trulli now in sixth followed by Jean Alesi. There is a minor touch between the Arrows of Jos Verstappen and the BAR of Olivier Panis as they fight over tenth spot.

Jacques Villeneuve gets past Button as well, the Canadian now laying claim to eighth place. Jarno Trulli comes into the pits on lap seven, 8.5 seconds for the Italian, leaving the door open for Jean Alesi to claim his sixth spot. Panis is fighting hard to get past Verstappen and in turn Ralf Schumacher is desperately trying to pass the BAR. Lap eight of this new race and Mika Hakkinen pits, as does Panis, leaving the younger Schumacher free to attempt a move on the Arrows.

Meanwhile, at the front of the field, Michael Schumacher has pulled out an amazing 16 second lead over second placed man, Giancarlo Fisichella while Rubens Barrichello is another three seconds behind in third, however the Ferrari mechanics are getting ready and the Brazilian is in for his first stop of the day. Lap ten and Michael Schumacher is now in, a long stop for the German however he has the time in hand. Frentzen is the only one not have had his first stop and Panis is given a ten second stop and go penalty for crossing the white line at the pit exit.

Lap 14 and Michael now has a 21 second lead over Giancarlo Fisichella. David Coulthard is now third with Hakkinen fourth and keeping Rubens Barrichello behind in fifth. Ralf Schumacher is now desperately trying to get past tenth placed Button as Hakkinen closes the gap to his third placed teammate. Rubens Barrichello is missing his front wing and loses positions to Trulli and Alesi. The Brazilian pits for a new nose and Jenson Button retires after going over the kerb at the Bus Stop and hitting the wall.

Michael Schumacher has a slight off track excursion, but no damage was done and he continues in the lead, the gap back to Fisichella now 27 seconds. Lap 25 and many come in for their second stops, Hakkinen just gets past Ralf and he exits the pits and Giancarlo Fisichella reclaims his second place. Mika Hakkinen misses the entrance to the Bus Stop as Coulthard attempts to put a move on Fisichella and the two almost touch. Lap 28 and the Scotsman finally gets past around the outside through Eau Rouge.

Lap thirty and Ralf Schumacher is all over the back of seventh placed Rubens Barrichello as the Brazilian fights to get past Alesi. News filtering through states that Luciano Burti is thought to be suffering concussion and has no broken bones. Lap 33 and Barrichello finally gets past the Jordan for sixth, however fifth placed Trulli pulls off the track from fifth place with black smoke billowing from the back of his EJ11.

Two laps remaining and Ralf Schumacher is desperately trying to get past Alesi so that he can claim a point from today's disaster. The Williams driver tries again at the Bus Stop and Les Combes but fails to get through. Final lap and Ralf refuses to give up while his brother takes the chequered flag to claim his fifty-second victory! Michael Schumacher wins in Belgium! David Coulthard salvages second place while Giancarlo Fisichella secures a podium finish for Benetton! Mika Hakkinen finishes fourth with Rubens Barrichello in fifth. Jean Alesi manages to hold off Ralf Schumacher to claim the final point-scoring place.