Not for the first time this season, we begin by saying that we are looking forward to what should be a great race. Sadly, all too often, the big race didn't live up to expectations, somehow we think that today it will.

Thanks to the weather on Saturday, we have a grid which sees four of the best drivers in the world start from the very back. Meanwhile, up front, there are a couple of highly talented drivers who could make a little bit of history this afternoon, we refer to Ralf Schumacher and Jenson Button, both of whom drive for Japanese teams that would dearly love to take that long-awaited maiden win on home ground.

However, having got things uncannily accurate for qualifying, the weathermen appear to have got it wrong today. Whereas they had predicted a 60 percent chance of rain, we have sunshine, with just a few clouds. The air temperature is 27 degrees C, while the track temperature is 36 degrees.

The cars head off on the warm-up lap, though Jarno Trulli starts from the pitlane. Teammate Ralf Schumacher leads the field on what appears to be a very slow parade lap. His brother Michael is really generating heat into the Bridgestones on his Ferrari.

Ralf makes a superb start, as does Coulthard, while Fisichella slots into second. However, further back Sato has had a little off as does Barrichello, both are able to continue however. Meanwhile Alonso makes up around nine places.

At the end of the first lap Montoya goes off, the back of his McLaren absolutely destroyed, he appeared to have a 'clash' with Villeneuve, having been forced very wide. Clearly, having spent so much of the weekends running on wet tyres and intermediates, the cars are not set up for these conditions, and drivers are struggling for grip.

The safety car is brought out, and Barrichello immediately pits, next time around, Sato also pits.

Ralf, Fisi, Button, Coulthard, Webber, Klien, Michael Schumacher and Alonso.

The cars continue behind the safety car as Montoya's car is removed from the track, behind it the drivers work frantically to generate heat into their tyres.

As the safety car prepares to pull off, Barrichello pits again. On track the two Renaults are second and eighth, which bodes well for the Constructors' Championship, especially in light of Montoya's crash.

After 7 laps, the race is back on and Ralf maintains his lead as Michael passes Klien to take sixth. Raikkonen is running twelfth, behind Villeneuve, Pizzonia and Massa.

In his efforts to pass Klien, Alonso cuts the chicane, but allows the Austrian through… moments later however, he nails him on the pit straight.

Ralf leads Fisichella by 1.7s, with Button a further 1.8s behind. All eyes are on the cars running in sixth and seventh however, Michael and Alonso. Raikkonen is now up to tenth.

Another disappointing outing for Pizzonia, who spins off at Degner and gets stuck in the gravel. Meanwhile, Alonso is all over Michael, however, the Renault slows, seemingly with a technical problem.