Cloudy skies and high temperatures were the order of the day as fans and drivers prepared for this afternoon's Brazilian Grand Prix. Drivers complete some pre race installation laps and Rubens Barrichello runs into problems, forcing the Brazilian to run back to the pits for the spare car. He makes it in time, however he has to wait while the mechanics organize it as it was originally set up for his triple world championship winning teammate.

Jordan driver, Jarno Trulli experiences problems and he too is in the T car as they line up on the grid. The temperature drops slightly and grey clouds now hover overhead and it is thought that we could see rain at some stage throughout the race. Eddie Irvine appears to have a problem as the cars leave the grid for the formation lap, however he gets underway but is under investigation by the stewards.

The lights go out and it's go in Brazil! But Mika Hakkinen stalls on the grid! Other cars stream past the Finn and it's Juan Pablo Montoya that flies through the pack to second place, his teammate, who started from the front row, drops back to fifth. The Safety car is deployed and Mika Hakkinen retires. The Marshalls push the McLaren off the grid and the race is on. Juan Pablo Montoya takes to the lead passing Michael Schumacher into turn one! The Williams leads in Brazil! But it's disaster for his teammate as Rubens Barrichello hits the back of his Williams and the day is over for both drivers! Juan Montoya holds onto the lead, taking charge of the race while Michael Schumacher fights to get past him.

Eddie Irvine is given a ten second penalty as Villeneuve and Frentzen battle for fifth place with the German keeping the position. Montoya sets the fastest lap of the race with a 1:17.756 as Olivier Panis passes Jean Alesi for ninth place. David Coulthard sits in third with Jarno Trulli in fourth. The two guys at the front continue to race each other hard and the Williams pulls out a gap on the straights only to have the Ferrari close up again. Ralf Schumacher returns to the track after his mechanics repair the damage caused when Rubens Barrichello hit his Williams when the race restarted. Olivier Panis is slicing his way through the field, taking seventh as teammate Jacques Villeneuve cruises slowly into the pits shaking his head. A quick tyre change and the Canadian is back on track in twelfth place and Olivier Panis picks up the sixth place vacated by his teammate.

Olivier Panis is on a charge and passes the Jordan of Heinz-Harald Frentzen on the inside to take fifth. Enrique Bernoldi retires his Orange Arrows as Ralf Schumacher sets the fastest first sector time, however he is four laps down and using the race as an extended test session. Panis is continuing to thrill the fans as he passes Jarno Trulli for fourth place. Lap 21 and Juan Pablo Montoya sets the best lap of the race again with a 1:17.132. Michael appears to be helpless as he trails close behind the Williams, waiting to see just what pit stop strategy the Colombian is on.

Montoya extends his lead over the Ferrari to one and half seconds with and David Coulthard in third is also within striking distance, the Scot a further one and a half seconds behind Schumacher. Eddie Irvine takes 17th from Jenson Button as Verstappen, Burti and Fisichella battle for tenth place. Lap 24 and Jean Alesi pits the Prost for the first of two scheduled pits. Michael Schumacher also pits, the German obviously on a two stopper as well. Juan Pablo Montoya laps Eddie Irvine, the Colombian with a three second lead over David Coulthard.

The Minardi of Fernando Alonso retires in the pits as Michael Schumacher passes Frentzen for fifth place than Trulli for fourth. Olivier Panis pits and rejoins the circuit in eighth. Montoya recovers from a major power slide in turn 7 as Jenson Button retires after problems in the pits. Lap 30 and Montoya sets a new fastest lap of 1:16.629, a gap of 4.2 seconds ahead of Coulthard. Michael Schumacher is now in third, 30 seconds behind the Colombian. Luciano Burti retires his R2 after passing Villeneuve as thunder rumbles in the distance.

Jenson Button rejoins the race, however, like Ralf Schumacher he is well out of contention. Jacques Villeneuve has a slight off as Giancarlo Fisichella and Jos Verstappen fight for tenth. Rain starts to fall, however it is only light. Montoya looking very strong for his first Formula One win in only his third event and as he laps the Arrows of Jos Verstappen the Dutchman slams into the back of him and flies over the top of the Williams, with both drivers now out of the race! Disaster for Williams and Montoya!

Heidfeld has problems in the pits with the refueller failing to give way as David Coulthard, the new race leader, comes in for his first and only pit stop. The Scot comes back out in the lead, but only just! Ralf Schumacher sets the best lap of the race with a 1:15.693. Despite the fact that the speed won't help him here this afternoon, it just goes to show that if it weren't for the disaster with Verstappen, Montoya would have easily won his first GP. Frentzen comes in for an unscheduled pitstop, with Jarno Trulli coming in on the next lap for his one and only stop and down comes the rain!

David Coulthard stays out a lap too long and Michael Schumacher takes the lead, but he spins and loses several seconds to the Scotsman. Both drivers are on intermediates and the gap comes down to just over half a second and the Scot goes for it and passes the German in turn one, with the Minardi of Tarso Marques between them! What a brilliant display of driving and David Coulthard leads once again with 22 laps remaining!

Mazzacane spins the Prost as Jarno Trulli takes fourth place from Nick Heidfeld. David Coulthard begins to stretch out a lead over Michael Schumacher. Heinz-Harald Frentzen sits in third followed by his teammate Jarno Trulli then Nick Heidfeld and Kimi Raikkonen rounding out the top six.

Schumacher spins again! The Ferrari takes to the gravel but he keeps it going and rejoins the circuit. This now gives Coulthard a 15 second lead. Eddie Irvine also spins and retires the R2. Kimi Raikkonen also has a moment and drops back to ninth place. Mazzacane passes Villeneuve and the two touch, but no damage, however the Ferrari powered Prost then goes off with what appears to be an engine failure. Kimi Raikkonen spins off the circuit again after his right rear tyre blows, this time into retirement. The rain has stopped and 14 laps remain and Olivier Panis passes Alesi for sixth place.

David Coulthard puts a lap on Jarno Trulli, leaving only the first three drivers on the lead lap. Michael Schumacher begins to eat in the Scotsman's lead, however at this stage, the McLaren driver appears to have the race well in his control. Ralf Schumacher finally puts an end to his disastrous race when he spins off the circuit and into retirement.

Eight laps remain and ten drivers as the circuit begins to dry out. Heinz-Harald Frentzen retires for Jordan and Nick Heidfeld moves into the third step on the podium! Jean Alesi also moves into sixth, could we be seeing the first points for the Prost team? No we wont as Fisichella challenges the Frenchman, trying desperately to regain some pride for the Benetton team and he does it, moving the B201 up into sixth place! Panis and Trulli are in a battle for fourth and the BAR takes it! The laps tick down and Coulthard keeps it together to take his first victory of the season, his first ever in Brazil and breaking Schumachers winning streak.

The top three from today's Brazilian Grand Prix were David Coulthard, Michael Schumacher and Nick Heidfeld!