The beautiful weather conditions continued here in Montreal with track temperature sitting at a warm 31 degrees as all the drivers make their way to the grid. Benetton driver, Giancarlo Fisichella was the last driver out of the pits, the Italian making it just in time before they closed. Drivers take their positions and head off for the formation lap. No problems today, apart from Olivier Panis being slow to get away, unlike the Monaco Grand Prix where David Coulthard stalled his McLaren.

The lights go out and it's action in Canada! A clean start, as Michael takes to the lead closely followed by brother Ralf. David Coulthard, Jarno Trulli and Rubens Barrichello all maintain position and Michael Schumacher instantly starts to pull out a lead. Barrichello makes his way past Trulli for fourth as Jos Verstappen moves into eighth. Mika Hakkinen has lost two places and now sits in tenth and Giancarlo Fisichella becomes the first retirement of the afternoon after he has a coming together with his teammate Jenson Button.

Heidfeld and Irvine have a coming together on the second lap and both retire. Rubens Barrichello gets past David Coulthard for third. Ralf sets the fastest lap of the race with a 1:20.7, brother Michael is now seven tenths of a second up the road. Barrichello sets a fast lap of 1:19.9 and it is thought that the Brazilian is running with 30 kgs less fuel. Lap 6 and Barrichello spins onto the grass at turn 10!! No damage done, but he drops down the order to 14th.

Jenson Button receives a ten second stop and go penalty for jumping the start. The Englishman takes his penalty and returns to the track in 19th and last place. Fernando Alonso's inaugural Canadian weekend continues to worsen and he retires on lap nine with apparent mechanical problems. Jenson Button returns to the pits for a change of tyres and Enrique Bernoldi is close behind. A long pit for the Arrows driver after he encounters problems and according to Giancarlo Fisichella, he had a problem with the Arrows prior to his retirement.

The Schumacher brothers stretch out a ten second lead over David Coulthard. Juan Pablo Montoya is looking to get past Hakkinen while Barrichello is trying to pass Montoya. Ralf closes the gap to his brother, there is only eight tenths of a second between them now. The Williams driver continues to harry the Ferrari in front of him, bringing it down to less than half a second.

The McLarens appear to be struggling this afternoon, with David fighting to hold onto third, 12 seconds behind the leaders and fourth placed man Jarno Trulli fighting to make his way past. Meanwhile Mika Hakkinen is struggling down in ninth behind the Jordan of Ricardo Zonta. Jenson Button comes in for a third time as Rubens Barrichello and Montoya have a coming together after the Colombian hits the wall and the two retire, one on either side of the circuit at turn four, bringing out the safety car.

Jenson Button' third stop is his final one and the second Benetton retires from the Canadian Grand Prix as the rest of the field cruise around behind the safety car. Only 16 cars remain after 22 laps. The safety car leaves the circuit and the race restarts. Verstappen pits and Michael gets the jump on his brother, stretching out a 2.6 second lead. Enrique Bernoldi retires his Arrows. Tarso Marques is up to 11th, the Minardi driver taking the opportunity to pit under the safety car, however he soon goes back to 13th after being passed by Verstappen and Burti.

Ralf is two tenths of a second faster than his brother and begins to close the gap once again. Pedro de la Rosa has his first stop after attempting to get past Mika Hakkinen and failing. Ralf sets a new fastest lap of 1:18.633 and the gap to the leading Ferrari is now seven tenths of a second. David Coulthard is still struggling and Jarno Trulli is all over the back of the McLaren's gearbox. Luciano Burti pits the Prost as the battle for the lead continues.

Lap 34, half distance and only 14 drivers remain. Michael Schumacher leads his brother Ralf, Coulthard is in third, Trulli fourth, Olivier Panis fifth and Kimi Raikkonen in sixth. Jacques Villeneuve's bad luck in Montreal continues and the Canadian retires from his home Grand Prix with suspected transmission problems. He walks back to the pits as Ralf makes a move on Michael! The two are side by side, but the Williams is forced to yield and slot back into second. Panis and Zonta pit together and Zonta gets out if front of the BAR.

Mika Hakkinen gets past Kimi Raikkonen and moves into fifth place. Panis pits again, this time to retire, ending BAR's Canadian weekend and reducing the number of runners to twelve. Trulli has his first pit allowing Hakkinen into fourth. The Finn begins to hone in on his teammate. Kimi Raikkonen pits and Ralf continues to try and pass his brother, the two Schumachers fighting each other every step of the way. Alesi is now in the points, the Prost driver in sixth place.

Jean Alesi pits and Olivier Panis returns to the circuit. David Coulthard finally pits and rejoins in front of Trulli. Michael and Ralf lap Luciano Burti and Panis retires again! Top six on lap 45, Michael Schumacher, Ralf Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, Jos Verstappen, David Coulthard and Jarno Trulli. The elder Schumacher pits giving the lead to Ralf. Michael rejoins in second ahead of Mika Hakkinen. Ralf is flying around the circuit, posting a 1:17.5, 4 seconds faster than his brother's out lap, even though he lapped the Jordan of Ricardo Zonta!

Jos Verstappen pits for his second stop and Pedro de la Rosa passes Jarno Trulli for sixth place. Ralf sets another fastest lap of 1:17.467. Mika Hakkinen is coming in for his first and only stop of the day and re-emerges ahead of his teammate, holding strong to third place. Pedro de la Rosa is up to fifth and Ralf Schumacher enters pitlane. Lap 50 and the moment of truth arrives and Ralf rejoins in first place! The crowd roars as the Williams keeps the lead from his brother.

De la Rosa pits from fifth and is relegated back to ninth place behind the Arrows of Jos Verstappen. David Coulthard's points scoring consistency comes to an end as his Mercedes engine lets go and he cruises into the pits, smoke billowing from the back of the McLaren, ending what has been a difficult Canadian Grand Prix.

Top six with ten laps to go …. Ralf Schumacher, Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, Jarno Trulli, Kimi Raikkonen and Jean Alesi. Michael appears to back off and Ralf has stretched out an 11 second lead. He continues to increase the gap and the Williams flies past the Arrows of Jos Verstappen. Jean Alesi is gaining on Kimi Raikkonen, eager to take the Finn's fifth place, but the Sauber gets past the Jordan of Jarno Trulli to take fourth as the EJ11 slows down considerably. Alesi takes fifth from the Italian driver and Jos Verstappen passes him also, knocking the Jordan out of the points with only four laps remaining.

The final laps tick down and Ralf is set for his second win of the season. Jarno Trulli retires with suspected brake problems and Verstappen loses his sixth place after spinning the Arrows into the wall. Pedro de la Rosa moves into the points. The Williams crosses the finish line ahead of his brother to win the Canadian Grand Prix!

Top six from today's Canadian Grand Prix are Ralf Schumacher, Michael Schumacher, Mika Hakkinen, Kimi Raikkonen, Jean Alesi and Pedro de la Rosa.