Beautiful weather continued here in the Principality as teams and drivers made their way to the grid in preparation of the 78 lap 2002 Monaco Grand Prix. Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya took his top spot on the grid alongside David Coulthard, the Colombian securing pole position after a superb last minute lap almost four tenths faster than the McLaren. An usual sight this season, with no red on the front row, Michael Schumacher set to start behind the Williams with teammate Rubens Barrichello one place further back.

Ex McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen is on the grid having a chat with Michael Schumacher. Visitors and team personnel are given the signal to clear the grid and they quickly make their way off the Monaco track so the drivers can begin their formation lap. Track temperature is currently sitting at 34 degrees, nice and warm and should favour the Michelin runners, of which there are eight of in the top ten. Interesting note here, Montoya is on scrubbed Michelin rubber while Coulthard has opted to start the race on a fresh set of the French tyres.

No problems on the formation lap and Montoya winds them around the circuit and back to the grid. And it's go in Monaco! Coulthard snatches the lead from Montoya leading the pack into the first turn, Michael Schumacher remains third with brother Ralf in fourth but further down the field the yellow flags are waving and it's for Jacques Villeneuve, the BAR driver failing to get away from the grid! The Renault of Jarno Trulli roars up two places into fifth while Rubens Barrichello has dropped back to seventh. Jenson Button has a bad start after initially jumping the start and loses several positions, the Englishman all the way back to 17th! Up the front it's Coulthard all the way with Montoya a second behind, Schumacher another seven tenths behind the Colombian.

Jacques Villeneuve rejoins the race after his BAR crew get the car going, however he is already a lap down now. Coulthard edges out a little more on Montoya as Schumacher closes in on the Williams, however the gap between Coulthard and Schumacher remains steady. Montoya responds and gains back a few valuable tenths as his teammate sets the fastest lap of the race. 8tenths between Coulthard and Montoya, sixth tenths between Montoya and Michael and eight tenths between Michael and Ralf, and it's only lap 6, the fight is on!

Button called in for a penalty for jumping the start, a drive through penalty for the Renault driver and basically the end of his day here in Monaco. The front runners continue to push each other, Michael is all over Montoya who in turn is all over Coulthard, a mere eight tenths of a second between the three now with another six tenths back to Ralf Schumacher! It's virtually impossible to pass here but Montoya and Schumacher are constantly looking for a way!

Lap 11 and Michael seems to have backed off a little, the difference from first to third now 1.3 seconds, however Montoya is still just four tenths behind Coulthard. A little further back there is a battle between Takuma Sato, Felipe Massa and Enrique Bernoldi, all vying for 13th place. Coulthard stats to pull away from the Williams, only slightly, but the gap is now up to eight tenths. Only one Bridgestone runner in the top six at this stage, and that is Michael Schumacher in third.

Lap 14 and David Coulthard sets the fastest lap and is now 1.6 seconds ahead of Montoya, but the Colombian still has Michael Schumacher right behind him who in turn has brother Ralf in his mirrors. Only a second between second and fourth now, but it's disaster for Allan McNish, his Toyota in the barriers at Ste Devote. Mark Webber is now up to 16th place and we still have 21 runners.

One driver that is making his way through the field is Jenson Button. Having come in fro his penalty early in the race, he has passed Alex Yoong and is now working on the Jaguar of Eddie Irvine for 19th place. Heinz-Harald Frentzen also makes a move, passing the Toyota of Mika Salo for eighth, however the Arrows is still eight seconds behind the seventh placed Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello. Meanwhile, Takuma Sato puts the move on teammate Giancarlo Fisichella who appears to have a problem. The Jordan driver then makes it past Salo as well and claims ninth. Salo peels off into pitlane for a fresh set of Michelins. Meanwhile the front of the field remains stagnant with 2.6 seconds between the leading four, the foursome putting another lap on Jacques Villeneuve one after the other.

Lap 23 and disaster for Sato as he comes to grief in the tunnel. A bad accident for the Jordan driver but thankfully he escapes unscathed as does his teammate Giancarlo Fisichella, who was close behind him at the time. Yellow flags are out as marshals quickly remove the shattered EJ12 while Frentzen closes in on Barrichello at a second and a half a lap, the time between the two drivers now down to under four seconds. While the top four may only be separated by two and half seconds, there is a further 16 seconds back to the fifth placed Renault of Jarno Trulli.

Enrique Bernoldi is pushing to pass Felipe Massa, the Sauber driver obviously slower than the Arrows. Bernoldi finally makes his move and passes on the start finish straight but Massa comes back and nudges the Arrows and both go off the track. Bernoldi drops all the way back to 15th while Massa pits for a new nose cone and returns to the track in 18th., Stewards are now investigating the incident.

Back to the front and Michael Schumacher continues to harry Montoya, the Colombian locking his brakes a little and the Ferrari driver trying to make the most of the situation. There is only four tenths between them now as a puff of smoke emerges from the back of the leading McLaren. Alex Yoong enters the pits, the Malaysian driver appearing to tour slowly in after tapping the barrier somewhere. More smoke from Coulthard's car, a telltale sign of what's to come, however he continues to set strong times as Alex Yoong retires from his first ever Monaco GP.

New fastest lap for Coulthard, despite the smoke emitting from the back of his MP4-17, which is now two and a half seconds ahead of Montoya. Just three tenths behind the Colombian is the ever-menacing Ferrari of Michael Schumacher, just waiting for the opportunity to make a move. The gap back to Ralf has grown a little, the younger Schumacher now almost two seconds. Felipe Massa is given a stop and go penalty for the incident with Bernoldi earlier.

Schumacher makes a move on Montoya at the tunnel exit but the Ferrari fails to make it work. David Coulthard now has a four second cushion over the Williams and amazingly enough, the smoke seems to be gone. Button pits from 14th place, as Montoya seems to be losing pace, problems with his Michelin tyres perhaps? While the Colombian is holding up Schumacher, Coulthard is taking advantage of the situation to extend his lead even further.

Rubens Barrichello and Kimi Raikkonen come together at the harbour chicane and make their way to pitlane. It appears as if Barrichello took the corner too fast trying to make a move on the McLaren and although he makes it back into the race after Ferrari mechanics replace the nose on the F2002, Kimi Raikkonen's damage appears to be a lot worse, the Finn remaining in the pits. Another incident for the stewards to investigate.

Lap 43 and Montoya has the Ferrari on his gearbox but continues to hold Michael at bay, for now. Jarno Trulli pits and it looks like Coulthard has a brake problem, but he is now eight seconds in the lead as Montoya continues to lose time. Schumacher pits and returns in fourth place ahead of fifth placed Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Drive through penalty for Barrichello after speeding in pitlane. Schumacher is quick, a sign that Montoya and Coulthard need to pit as soon as possible if they want to remain ion front of the Ferrari.

Ralf passes Montoya, the Colombian's tyres definitely worse for wear, but disaster for the Colombian as he slows even further and retires with engine problems! Jacques Villeneuve also retires. Michael is pushing hard as Ralf comes in for his first and only stop. McLaren mechanics are also out waiting for their driver. Mika Salo passes the BAR of Olivier Panis. Ralf resumes his position behind his brother and Coulthard puts in a clean stop and makes it out ahead of the Ferrari! Coulthard regains the lead! But close behind the McLaren, Michael is flying, a 1:18.6, the German desperately wants this win and the battle is now on!

Lap 53 and Jenson Button and Olivier Panis, battling for tenth place, collide at Ste Devote and their day is over. 14 cars remain in this race, sixth placed Heinz-Harald Frentzen the last on the lead lap. Top six with 25 laps remaining, David Coulthard, Michael Schumacher, Ralf Schumacher, Jarno Trulli, Giancarlo Fisichella and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Meanwhile, Mark Webber is in ninth place for Minardi.

Coulthard narrowly misses the barrier at Ste Devote and Schumacher closes in even further. Mika Salo pits and allows Rubens Barrichello up into seventh place. Penalty for Bernoldi after crossing the chicane and gaining an advantage. Things at the front seem to be settling a little, but Michael is till on the McLaren's gearbox, ready to pounce at the first opportunity. Williams prepare for a stop as Ralf Schumacher appears to have a problem with his rear tyres, something we have seen on Salo's Toyota and the now retired Williams of Juan Pablo Montoya.

Ralf emerges from pitlane and reclaims third. Meanwhile Frentzen has now been lapped, the Arrows still in sixth place. 11 laps to go and there is a massive accident for Felipe Massa at Ste Devote! Thankfully he exits the car and walks away in shock, but uninjured. Rubens Barrichello starts putting in fastest lap after fastest lap in an attempt to catch the sixth placed Arrows of Heinz-Harald Frentzen and gain the final point of the day.

Lap 72 and Mika Salo crashes the sole remaining Toyota leaving just 12 runners on track. Barrichello is now right behind Frentzen and desperately wants to get past. All Frentzen ahs to do is keep the Ferrari at bay for the next few laps and he has secured another point for Arrows. The battle between Michael and David continues as the McLaren puts a lap on the sole remaining Jordan of fifth placed Giancarlo Fisichella who is battling for fourth with Jarno Trulli's Renault.

Final lap and it looks as if it will be a battle to the end, Trulli is also a lap down now and Coulthard is coming up to win his first race in over a year and he does it, David Coulthard wins in Monaco! Michael Schumacher is second, Ralf Schumacher third, Jarno Trulli fourth, Giancarlo Fisichella fifth and Heinz-Harald Frentzen in sixth.