Trouble started as the Ferraris ran side-by-side into the first corner, Michael Schumacher being hit from behind and sent into a spin by the BAR of Riccardo Zonta.

'We were very unlucky today,' said Trulli. 'It is difficult to say exactly what happened because I really do not know. I found myself blocked by incidents happening around me. I saw Barrichello in front of me braking very early and then suddenly everyone seemed to come together and my way was blocked. I turned into the corner and found the blockage and then I hit Michael's Ferrari. It was obviously very disappointing as this was a good chance for us to score points.'

Frentzen, having avoided the melee, moved up to seventh place from 15th on the grid. But then he realised there was a problem when the car began to smoke. A broken oil fitting sprayed lubricant onto the hot engine and finally got onto the rear tyres, causing Frentzen to spin into a gravel trap.

'At first I thought something might have been damaged by debris I had picked up after the crash,' said Frentzen. 'I spun off and , when I looked back, I could see the oil I had left on the track!'

Eddie Jordan said the team had to put this disappointment behind them and concentrate on the next race in Germany. 'That's the nature of the game,' said Jordan. 'You just have to move on to the next race. Once again we had the chance to score points to help our fight in the Championship. It's obviously disappointing, but we look forward to better luck in two week's time.'

Mika Hakkinen led the race from start to finish as McLaren dominated this 10th round of the championship and moved to the head of the Constructors' Championship. Schumacher's retirement at the first corner allowed David Coulthard, who finished second, to close to within six points of the Ferrari driver at the top of the table.

Jordan Grand Prix