on the inside for the lead at the first corner while coming close to the right-hand side kerb. Michael Schumacher slowed to avoid a collision with Häkkinen and stopped himself retiring from the first lap for the third successive race. Coulthard withstood Ralf Schumacher's attempts to overtake him for third place on the inside through turns one and two. Heading into the chicane, Villeneuve and De La Rosa collided and both cars sustained damage. Villeneuve made a pit stop for a new front wing assembly followed by De La Rosa for a new set of tyres since he sustained a left rear puncture. At the first lap's conclusion, Häkkinen led from Michael Schumacher, Coulthard, Ralf Schumacher, Barrichello, and Frentzen. Michael Schumacher was close behind Häkkinen but not enough to effect an overtake for the race lead. Häkkinen began to pull away from Michael Schumacher, increasing his lead to 3.5 seconds by the eighth lap. Fisichella in seventh place was driving with a poor brake balance and ran wide onto the grass at the first turn on lap eight due to a lack of grip. This caused Button to slow slightly in order to avoid a collision. Irvine used this incident to pass Button for seventh position on the short straight into the second corner. Fisichella fell to 14th place. Fisichella ran wide into a gravel trap on lap 12 and he was passed by Herbert for 13th position. On lap 15, Fisichella made his first pit stop for repairs to his car's brakes and rejoined the Grand Prix in 19th position. Alesi became the race's first retirement on that lap after a series of pit stops by mechanics to try and rectify a broken left-rear suspension that was worsened by a change in wheel alignment proved unsuccessful. Häkkinen's lead over Michael Schumacher was more than seven seconds by lap 19. Coulthard was a further three seconds behind Michael Schumacher due to an incorrect tyre pressure setting and was pulling away from Ralf Schumacher. Heidfeld became the race's second retirement when he stalled because of an decrease in the battery voltage after he made a pit stop after completing 22 laps. Three laps later, Irvine made his first pit stop from seventh position and dropped to 11th. Brawn asked Michael Schumacher to enter the pit lane for the first of two scheduled stops at the conclusion of lap 27 and was