Other than the usual question mark regards strategy, the other thing that people are wondering is whether the field - read Michael, Juan Pablo, Kimi, David and the Renaults will get through the first corner without any problems.

The front three - Michael, Juan Pablo and Kimi - have a long history of over-enthusiastic, wheel to wheel, no-prisoners taken, close encounters.

As the cars prepare to head off on the warm-up lap, the air temperature is 27 degrees C, while the track temperature is 46 degrees.

As the cars enter the stadium at the end of the warm up lap, thousands of air horns burst into life, the atmosphere is truly electric.

Not for the first time this year, Olivier Panis raises his hand, his Toyota has stalled, consequently the start is aborted. Don't forget, next year the race will still go ahead, in honour of tight TV schedules there will be no re-starts as a result of stalled cars.

Of course this is the much-anticipated, much-hyped TF104B, Toyota's so-called 'new' car. It's not been a very good weekend thus far for the Japanese team.

As the field heads off on its second warm-up lap, Panis gets away then grinds to a halt just a few yards later. A bad day for Olivier, who starts from the pitlane, and for the 'new' car.

A brilliant start by Schumacher and both Renaults as Montoya slips back through the field, as Barrichello and Coulthard 'touch'. The Brazilian's nose comes off and slides across the track into the path of Montoya, who has to brake hard.

At the end of the first lap Schumacher leads Alonso by 1.03s, with Raikkonen in third ahead of Trulli. A few corners later, the Finn gets past the Spaniard and sets off after Michael. Meanwhile, Barrichello pits for a new nose.

At the end of lap 2, Michael leads Raikkonen who is ahead of Alonso, Trulli, Coulthard, Webber, Montoya, Pizzonia, Sato and Klien. Button is eleventh ahead of da Matta and Fisichella.

Webber attempts to hold of Montoya, but to no avail, the Jaguar is no match for the WilliamsF1.

Schumacher and Raikkonen - separated by 2.1s - are trading fastest laps. Meanwhile Coulthard is all over Trulli.

Michael posts 1:13.783 on the fifth lap, the Ferrari driver forcing an amazing pace. Teammate Barrichello is currently twentieth, 8.7s behind Bruni.

Webber, running seventh, has Pizzonia, Sato and Button right on his heels.

At the end of lap 7, Schumacher leads Raikkonen by 3.2s, with Alonso third ahead of Trulli, Coulthard, Montoya and Webber. Barrichello is now nineteenth and closing in on Baumgartner, who is 4.5s ahead.

At the end of lap 9, Alonso (7.3) pits as does Pizzonia (6.9). This of course makes Pizzonia's qualifying performance even worse.

Next time around Schumacher pits as do Coulthard, Trulli and Sato. 9.8s later Michael is heading back down the pitlane.