Fisichella fifth, Sato unhurt

The safety car left the track at the end of lap 36 - the mid-way point of the race - with Barrichello leading from Ralf and Michael Schumacher with Montoya fourth, Coulthard fifth and Jordan’s Giancarlo Fisichella sixth.

Within a couple of laps, Eddie Irvine completed another disappointing afternoon for Jaguar when he drove straight into the garage.