the race; the air temperature was and the track temperature . Approximately 250,000 people attended the race, breaking the record attendance figure set at the 1995 Australian Grand Prix. Every driver except for Herbert started on the intermediate compound tyre. Coulthard, who started alongside Michael Schumacher, jumped the start and moved into the lead. Coulthard was later issued with a ten-second stop-go penalty. Going into the first corner, Häkkinen withstood Barrichello attempts to pass him for third place. Herbert made a poor start, dropping from 19th to 22nd at the end of the first lap. Frentzen lost seventh place mid-lap after running wide, losing two positions to Villeneuve and Ralf Schumacher. At the end of the first lap, Coulthard led from Michael Schumacher, Häkkinen, Barrichello, Trulli, Button, Villeneuve, Ralf Schumacher, Frentzen, Diniz, Zonta, Wurz, Irvine, Verstappen, Heidfeld, Salo, de la Rosa, Alesi, Fisichella, Gene, Mazzacane and Herbert. Coulthard had built a 1.7-second lead over Michael Schumacher by the start of lap two. On the back straight, Button attempted to overtake Trulli for fifth, but the two drivers collided. Both drivers made pit stops for repairs and emerged at the back of the field. Frentzen passed Ralf Schumacher for sixth position, while Zonta overtook Diniz for eighth and Verstappen moved up two positions to tenth after overtaking Irvine and Wurz. Heidfeld was overtaken by de la Rosa for 13th on lap three, while Gené passed Fisichella for 17th position. On the next lap, Coulthard's lead to Michael Schumacher was reduced by one second. de la Rosa continued moving up the field by passing Wurz for twelfth. On the same lap, Alesi became the first driver to pit for dry tyres. Michael Schumacher began attacking Coulthard for the lead on lap five with the McLaren driver moving to defend his position. On lap six, Barrichello became the first of the frontrunners to pit, while Irvine lost eleventh position to de la Rosa. Häkkinen led several cars in the pit lane to change to dry tyres on lap seven, while Ralf Schumacher, Zonta, Verstappen, Irvine and Wurz. Coulthard took his penalty on lap eight and dropped from second to sixth. Fisichella made a pit stop to serve his identical penalty on the same lap, from twenty-second position and remained in that position. Michael Schumacher, Frentzen, Diniz and Mazzacane were the only drivers not to change tyres by lap 9, while Coulthard made a