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.

Schumacher was unable to get past his brother and by lap 40 found himself just over three seconds adrift of his team-mate.

Concerned Eddie Jordan went to check on the fitness of Sato before making his way back to the pit-wall indicating that his driver had escaped unhurt.