Buttons fortunes continue to wane

Jenson Button, who has suffered untold misery in his Renault these past few days, saw his fortunes continue to wane in the race as he twice ran wide at turn one in the opening laps to drop him into a battle with Irvine at the back of the field.

Up front, and with the Schumachers and Barrichello away and clear, it was up to Montoya and Raikkonen to provide the thousands of German fans with the real action.