The sun was shining brightly pushing track temperatures up to 45 degrees, however rain has been predicted for sometime in the hour. Cristiano da Matta has been forced to start from pitlane in the spare Toyota and is soon joined by the BAR of Jacques Villeneuve who stalls his BAR on the formation lap. The two Renaults lead the field around as Villeneuve runs back to the pits and it is unclear if the spare is set up for the Canadian.

It's GO in Malaysia! Jarno Trulli and Michael Schumacher connect! The Renault manages to get going again after a spin, but is down in 17th place. Michael is down to 12th and appears to have damage to his Ferrari. Juan Montoya was hit at the same time and has lost his rear wing and pits as does Antonio Pizzonia and Jos Verstappen. Giancarlo Fisichella stalled on the grid and the Jordan driver, along with Villeneuve, Montoya and Verstappen, retire from the race.

At the front Fernando Alonso is holding strong to the lead, but David Coulthard is giving chase in second place, but the Scot soon comes to a halt with suspected engine failure and climbs out of his McLaren, race over. Michael Schumacher pits in for a new nose cone and the German also takes on fuel. Kimi Raikkonen attacks the rear of Nick Heidfeld and passes the Sauber driver for second place. The young Finn now begins to hunt down Alonso who is five seconds down the road.

Montoya and Verstappen return to the track, over a lap down on the leaders. Rubens Barrichello moves into fourth place after overtaking the sole remaining BAR of Jenson Button. Olivier Panis also makes his way past the young Brit and hunts down the Ferrari in front of him. Lap seven and the Frenchman gets closer and closer as Alonso continues to lead. Surely the Renault will have to pit soon...

Stewards are investigating Michael Schumacher for the first lap incident with Trulli and Montoya and soon issue a drive through penalty to the Ferrari driver as Kimi Raikkonen sets the fastest lap of the race with a best time in all three sectors on lap eight. On lap ten Michael pits for his penalty and rejoins back in 14th place. Meanwhile, up the front, Heidfeld, Barrichello and Panis are all fighting over third place, the Sauber driver finally losing the place to Barrichello.

Lap 12 and it's another fastest lap for Raikkonen who is steadily gaining on Alonso. The second Renault is now back into the points just, with Trulli in eighth, one place behind the Williams of Ralf Schumacher. Olivier Panis enters the pits for is first stop and is soon followed by Heidfeld. Panis returns to the track but is soon forced to stop on the circuit and retire from the race. Meanwhile, Nick Heidfeld has stalled in the pits losing valuable time. Lap 14 and in comes race leader Fernando Alonso.

Raikkonen now leads in Malaysia and Alonso reverts back to fourth place after his first stop. Mark Webber pits in the Jaguar, but unfortunately the Australian driver can't get the car going again. Finally, after a long delay, the R4 returns to the track, well down the order. Jarno Trulli comes in as does Jenson Button. Barrichello is now in second place, 14 seconds behind Kimi Raikkonen.

Alonso is back to third, Ralf is fourth and Button rejoins in fifth. Frentzen pits and like his teammate, stalls his engine before getting back underway. Raikkonen finally pits, allowing Rubens Barrichello into the lead, but how much more fuel does the Ferrari have on board? Raikkonen returns to the track ahead of Alonso and is lapping faster than Barrichello, who looks to be coming in. Lap 22 and both Barrichello and Ralf Schumacher pit for their first stop. Despite a good stop by the Ferrari driver, he returns to the circuit in third place, behind Raikkonen and Alonso.

Ralph Firman is the last driver to pit, the Jordan rookie taking on what seems to be enough fuel to go to the end of the race but he has trouble getting going again. Lap 24 and Barrichello records the fastest lap of the race, closing in on second placed Fernando Alonso. Ralf Schumacher, who qualified down in 17th, is in a strong fourth place while brother Michael is lapping down in eighth. Lap 26 and Michael Schumacher pits once again.

The standings stay the same but on lap 32 and Jarno Trulli is pressuring the fifth placed BAR of Jenson Button while Barrichello is only four tenths behind Fernando Alonso, the Ferrari ace desperate to hunt down Kimi Raikkonen for the lead of this motor race. Da Matta and Verstappen pit as does Jenson Button, allowing Jarno Trulli up into that fifth place. Meanwhile, Alonso also comes in, allowing Barrichello to go after Raikkonen, the Renault driver rejoining in third place.

In comes Webber and Frentzen, Trulli and Frentzen. Problems for Trulli! The Renault's fuel flap won't open! Disaster after such a strong weekend for the Italian driver. Twenty seconds later he returns to the circuit. Rubens Barrichello comes in for a second stop and keeps his second place ahead of Alonso! Meanwhile, teammate Michael Schumacher is in the points, the five time champion now up to seventh place. Lap 40 and Raikkonen is in for his second stop, in and back out in the lead! Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso is losing speed, the Renault dropping three seconds on the previous lap.

Mark Webber has retired his Jaguar and Ralf pits for his second stop, rejoining ahead of Button in fourth place. Brother Michael is on a charge and passes Trulli for sixth then tackles Button and moves into fifth. What a race from the Ferrari ace, an accident, three stops and he is up to fifth place, 14 seconds behind his fourth placed brother. However, another pit-stop is looming and the German comes in for service once again. Back in seventh place, a lap down, Michael now has it all to do again.

A spin for Pizzonia and the second Jaguar retires from the Malaysian GP. The end of a frustrating weekend for the Milton Keynes based squad. Michael Schumacher records the fastest lap of the race. Nine laps remain and only 13 drivers remain and just six are on the lead lap. Montoya is still circulating, in twelfth place and three laps down while leader, Kimi Raikkonen, holds a 30 second lead over second placed Rubens Barrichello and 44 seconds over third placed Fernando Alonso.

McLaren tell Kimi to take it easy with only a handful of laps remaining. The Finn is looking good for his first ever victory, McLaren's second of the season. Jarno Trulli spins his Renault! He gets it going again but Michael Schumacher is ready to pounce and take the sixth place for himself. Only four drivers on the lead lap now as Michael Schumacher eases off. Kimi Raikkonen is shown the easy board by the crew but things are fine. The young Finn starts his final lap and cruises to his first ever Formula One victory! Congratulations Kimi Raikkonen!!! Ron Dennis is all emotional as his young driver crosses the line. Barrichello is second and Fernando Alonso third.