Conditions for today's race are overcast, and surprisingly cool.

Ahead of the race the big question is what sort of strategy the teams are opting for. There's talk of two stops and three stops, whilst some say that the revised pitlane entry could tempt some teams to go for four stops.

The grid isn't the lottery that some had hoped for, with most of the front runners at the front. However Ralf Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard are starting from the midfield so they'll be keen to make up as much ground as soon as possible.

Of course this year, teams won't have the benefit of launch control, which will hit Renault in particular, and therefore the drivers - rather than their computers - will be responsible for their starts. The FIA will be paying close to attention at the start just to ensure that nobody is up to 'naughties'. As if.

There was a lot of confusion yesterday after it was revealed that Jenson Button used the spare car in qualifying, following an 'off' in practice. Several readers wanted to know why the English driver didn't lose ten grid places. The easy answer is that this is because Button only changed his car, not the engine. In effect, wherever the drivers, the engine goes with him. So in switch to the spare car, Button took his engine, without suffering any penalty.

The cars head off on the parade lap, everyone gets away cleanly.

The cars form up on the grid, the 2004 season, which comprises a record eighteen rounds, is about to begin.

Both Ferraris get away cleanly while Alonso take to the grass to make up a couple of positions, Montoya holds him off but subsequently overshoots the first corner, losing several places.

Massa and Raikkonen are side by side, the former Sauber teammates really fight one another.

At the end of the first lap it's Schumacher ahead of Barrichello, Alonso, Button, Trulli, Ralf, Montoya, Webber, Sato and Coulthard.

Alonso is keeping pace with the Ferraris, though at the end of the second lap Michael is 2.4s down the road. Montoya has got past Ralf and is chasing Trulli. Coulthard is running tenth ahead of Raikkonen and Massa.

End of lap three and Michael leads by 1.2s, the German has already broken last year's lap record. Back in the paddock, Bernie is probably slashing his wrists.