Formula 1: Easy win for Hakkinen

Hakkinen duly took the chequered flag for his first win in 15 races, with Schumacher 33.6 seconds adrift of the Finn, who moves up to fifth in the drivers’ championship.

Although Schumacher was unable to equal Alain Prost’s 51-race victory record, the six points means he now holds a staggering 37-point lead over Coulthard with six races left.

Barrichello’s seventh podium finish of the season means he is also now third in the championship having leapfrogged Ralf Schumacher.

With McLaren and Ferrari both taking 10 points apiece away from Silverstone, the gap in the constructors’ championship remains 52 points.

Montoya eased home in fourth, with the superb Saubers of Raikkonen and Heidfeld taking fifth and sixth to cement the team’s surprise fourth place in the constructors’ table.

Coulthard collided with Jordan's Jarno Trulli on the first lap, forcing the Italian out of the race after a promising start, and although he managed to continue racing, he retired soon afterwards.

It was a disappointing race for the Jordan Formula 1 team on their home circuit.

After an excellent qualifying session, Trulli ended up in the gravel trap on the first lap and Heinz-Harald Frentzen finished outside the points in seventh place.

Eddie Irvine and Jenson Button, who both predicted they would not finish in the points this weekend, proved themselves correct as the Ulsterman came home ninth in the Jaguar, while the latter was 15th in the Benetton.