Michael Schumacher today recorded his eighth win of the season and the 77th of his stunning career in what was a chaotic and fraught United States Grand Prix. Schumacher's win from team-mate Rubens Barrichello was by no means easy as accident, safety car periods, mechanical problems and punctures blighted drivers up and down the field. Only eight of the 20 starters completed the 73-lap race.

Rubens Barrichello started from pole position, the tenth of his career, but his lead was a short-lived one as Michael Schumacher passed him at the first restart following a safety car period. This move would prove critical soon as the race started to unfold. Barrichello finished second ahead of Takuma Sato who secured a well- deserved first podium position of his short career.

The race began with Juan Pablo Montoya jumping out of his BMW Williams and running to the spare car. This would later cause his disqualification form the event as he was apparently on foot on the grid within 15 seconds of the start of the formation lap.

The race got underway with Montoya hastily bolted into the spare Williams. As the field funnelled through the tight first turn, Cristiano da Matta's Toyota slowed suddenly. Christian Klien struck the back of the Toyota before spinning across the track eliminating Gianmaria Bruni, Giorgio Pantano, Felipe Massa as well as Klien himself.

With cars scattered all over the circuit, the safety car was deployed for the first time. The restart of the race saw Michael Schumacher get a better exit from the final turn and he passed Barrichello as the cars crossed the start-finish line to recommence racing.

Fernando Alonso meanwhile made a stunning start and had moved from ninth position on the grid to run third. The Renault driver's day ended abruptly as his right rear Michelin failed on the approach to turn one.

Ralf Schumacher meanwhile ran in seventh position, but his day would come to a frightening end on lap eight. The BMW Williams driver lost control at the ultra-fast final turn and slammed backwards into the retaining concrete wall. It was a massive hit for Schumacher and the safety car was deployed once again.

With debris all over the circuit, the safety car continued to lap through the debris ensuring that all the remaining runners also had to run through the wreckage. Why the safety car did not lead the field through the pit lane instead of through the debris is not clear. Of more concern, it took the medical team a long time to reach Ralf Schumacher on track.

Ralf Schumacher slowly removed from the Williams and taken to hospital. Early reports suggest that he has suffered severe bruising and will be kept in for several days.

With the safety car on track once again, the field took the opportunity to take their first pitstop. As Michael Schumacher had just taken the lead, he was serviced first while Barrichello had to wait patiently behind. This could well have cost the Brazilian his first race win of the season.

Over at BAR Honda, the team elected not to pit either Takuma Sato or Jenson Button. This was a costly mistake from the team, one that denied the ultra-fast Sato any chance of taking his first Grand Prix win.

Rubens Barrichello's race from this point was all about trying to exit the pits for the second time ahead of Michael Schumacher. The Brazilian almost pulled this feat off and for half a dozen laps the two Ferrari drivers raced on the limit before Barrichello backed off to accept second position.

Takuma Sato battled valiantly on, carving his way back through the field to take the third position in his BAR Honda. Jenson Button did not quite have the pace of his Japanese team-mate today and retired with a suspected gearbox failure.

Jarno Trulli started his race from the back of the grid after mechanical problem yesterday in qualifying. The Renault driver lost third position late in the race to the aggressive Sato, but will non- the-less be happy with fourth place after a difficult weekend.

Olivier Panis had a trouble free run and with some fortune from others misfortune, brought his Toyota home in fifth position to score his first championship points of the year.

Over at McLaren, Kimi Raikkonen finished in sixth position ahead of team-mate David Coulthard with Zsolt Baumgartner picking the final point in eighth place. The reward for finishing the US Grand Prix for Minardi, was their first championship point since Mark Webber scored in Australia two years ago. Giancarlo Fisichella retired his Sauber with a hydraulics problem but also suffered a punctured Bridgestone late in the race which dropped him down the order, while Mark Webber's race came to a smoky end when his development Ford V10 blew.

For BMW Williams, it was another disastrous race. Montoya disqualification late in the race needs some explaining from the race stewards, as it took over 50 laps for them to black-flag the Colombian. Team-mate Ralf Schumacher suffered an awful accident which could have been a lot lot worse.

It was an interesting race for many, but as ever in F1, things can be learned from the happening's today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.