Every so often there is one of those bizarre races where you are never 
quite sure what will happen next. This year we've had a couple. This added 
to the tally, with the most number of leaders (with little overtaking on 
or off the track!), and also one of the most car-breaking races of the year. 
For a change, it wasn't the back-of-the-pack runners who were hitting the 
problems, and having only a dozen finish - it was the front running teams.

It all started to turn pear-shape on the formation lap, when David 
Coulthard managed to spin off. A not very good start from pole and an 
event he had dominated. The lights eventually turned green, after it 
took an eterninty for the lesser-ranked teams to form on the grid. 
Schumacher got away well, sandwiched by two Ferraris. Remarkably, he 
kept the lead, and everyone got around Retifillio. Approaching the end 
of the first lap it was Schumacher, Berger, Alesi, Herbert and Hill. 
Suddenly it seemed that all and sundry had decided to spin at the same 
point as Coulthard had done, and Berger had by now taken the lead from 
Schumacher. This was to prove academic, as the spinners (with help from 
rescue vehicles) blocked the track. It appeared from the replays that 
Montermini and Papis went in for a spot of syncronised spinning, joined 
by Moreno and Boullion. Less than two whole laps had run, so the race 
was restarted from scratch. Coulthard could start from pole again.

Coulthard got away from the grid well, with Schumacher close behind, 
and Berger in turn breathing down his neck, and eventually up to second. 
Everyone managed to get through the Retifillio. Hill was 4th, with 
Herbert and Alesi close behind. Coulthard banged in a 1m29.817 on the 
second lap. Running the spare clearly hadn't fazed him. Into lap 3, and 
the top 3 were covered by a couple of seconds, but with the young scot 
clearly in control.
Coulthard
Berger
Schumacher
Hill
Alesi
Barrichello
Herbert
Hakkinen
Irvine
Brundle
Blundell
Frentzen
Panis
Katayama
Badoer
Papis
Lavaggi
Inoue
Salo
Diniz
Boullion

On lap 4, Gerhard Berger showed that he too could go fast, and put 
in a 1m28.305, Schumacher joined the club on the next lap with a 
1m27.974s, then a 1m27.658s. Lavaggi (the sole running Pacific) spun 
at the chicane and was out. Positions lap 6:
Coulthard
Berger +1.170
Schumacher +2.187
Hill +3.554
Alesi +4.795
Barrichello +9.455

Into lap 7, and Coulthard seized his control again, and put in a 
1m27.348s, and on lap 10 a 1m26.959s. Brundle, who was storming up 
through the field, hit a problem. The left rear tyre shredded, and 
flapped away like billio, the rubber ripping the bodywork to shreds. 
Slowly he made his way back to the pits, only to be told it was beyond 
repair. Brundle had made his point. Things settled down for a while, 
until lap 14. Coulthard found himself attracted to a gravel trap, and 
flew into it. Somehow he kept it running, and drove out of the trap. 
Berger now had the lead, as Coulthard limped his way back to the pits. 
The Williams team later confirmed that a wheel bearing had failed.
Berger
Schumacher +1.695
Hill +2.351
Alesi +5.351
Barrichello +13.989
Hakkinen +16.377

Coulthard managed to get back to the pits, only to overshoot it, and 
have to be dragged back. He was soon retired. Damon Hill, now sensing 
blood, started to make some progress on the German, who in turn was 
tracking the Austrian. The two tile protagonists came upon the Tyrrell 
of Katayama, who managed to let Schumacher through, and inelligantly 
closed the door on Hill. It was a very messy passing. On lap 18, Berger 
showed he meant business, and put in a 1m26.787s. Things were again 
fairly settled, with the leading 4 grouping up as we reached lap 20:
Berger
Schumacher +3.333
Hill +3.609
Alesi +4.990
Barrichello +16.496
Hakkinen +19.152

On lap 21, Olivier Panis added to Ligiers woes by retiring, then on 
lap 22 Hill and Schumacher came upon the Arrows of Takki Inoue. 
Schumacher got by, and Hill came to try the same. The Arrows jinked 
to the left to let him by, Hill went by, and straight into the back 
of the Benetton who was breaking for the corner. Hill looked to have 
mis-judged the corner, helped in no small part by Inoue. Inoue, 
meanwhile, continues on to see what he can do elsewhere. Into lap 23, 
and Berger was the first of the leaders to come in for his stop, letting 
Alesi lead, who then came in, whilst Irvine took Berger on the track, 
and Blundell came in, letting Barrichello into the lead, who then came 
in to let Hakkinen into the lead. Phew. Lap 27:
Hakkinen
Herbert
Irvine
Alesi
Berger
Barrichello
Blundell
Frentzen
Inoue
Boullion
Salo
Papis

Badoer decided at this point that he wasn't happy with the aerodynamics 
of the Minardi, and puts the nose into the wall. He came off the wall, 
decided he still wasn't happy, and went in again to see what difference 
it would make. That did it, and he was out. Hakkinen, meanwhile, came 
in for his stop, allowing Herbert into the lead. Now all the top men 
had stopped appart from Herbert, who dutifully made it easy by coming 
in, and rejoining in 3rd. Lap 30:
Alesi
Berger +0.800
Herbert +4.530
Hakkinen +13.893
Barrichello +14.951
Frentzen +28.841

Berger suddenly locked up violently, and slithered off the track, 
with the left front wheel dangling off the suspension with no contact 
to help it. Another one of the leaders out. Into lap 33, and Alesi was 
leading Herbert by 8.4 seconds. Barrichello started to slow down 
massively by lap 39, losing 5 seconds a lap. Irvine added to Jordan's 
woes by retiring without any warning. Papis meanwhile had quietly moved 
his way up to 7th..... Lap 44:
Alesi
Herbert
Hakkinen
Frentzen
Barrichello

Rubens finally retired, with the car having a small fire, which was 
quickly dealt with by the marshals. With less than 10 laps to go, 
Ferrari were preparing for a fuel and tyre stop. Alesi though had 
other ideas, as his right rear wheel caught fire - presumably a brake 
disc fire. He made his way back to the pits, allowing the Benetton of 
Herbert to take the lead, and Papis to  make the top 6. Six laps to go.
Herbert
Hakkinen
Frentzen
Blundell
Salo
Papis

As they came into the last couple of laps, there looked to be a real 
chance of Papis getting a point. Boullion, clearly embarrassed by the 
prospect, dutifully took Papis, and landed the final point.
Herbert
Hakkinen
Frentzen
Blundell
Salo
Boullion
Papis
Inoue
Diniz