Finn Mika Hakkinen took victory in the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis, the 20th of his career, which now means that McLaren are assured second position in the constructor's championship after a bad day for the Williams team.

It was also a disappointing outing for Rubens Barrichello, whose aspirations of victory were robbed by mechanical problems, just as he was mounting a challenge for the lead.

On the previous day it was the name of the World Champion, Michael Schumacher that was on everybody's lips, the German had qualified his Ferrari on pole position for the tenth time this season. He traded times throughout the session with Hakkinen, with the latter being forced to settle with a slot alongside Schumacher on the front row. Ralf Schumacher was third on the grid, marginally ahead of team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya and the second Ferrari of Barrichello. The Sauber of Nick Heidfeld was sixth, ahead of the disappointed David Coulthard. Jarno Trulli and Jean Alesi were eighth and ninth for the Jordan team, with Jenson Button (Benetton), completing the top ten.

However, before the race, Hakkinen was docked two grid positions for jumping the red light at the end of the pitlane during Sunday's final warm-up session after it had been red-flagged. Consequently, the former world champion would have to start from fourth.

With the temperature rising towards 30 deg C, the track conditions were going to favour those with Michelin tyres, and it was Montoya who made the best start. His Michelin-shod Williams almost passing Michael Schumacher through the first corner on the outside line. He was, however, forced to drop back to hold second from Barrichello. As the cars started the third lap, Barrichello made his move on second placed Montoya, out-braking the Colombian into Turn One. He then caught the leading car of Michael Schumacher, who let his team-mate pass and into the lead.

As Barrichello set a string of fastest laps, it was clear that he was on a two-stop strategy, and consequently needed a healthy lead before making his first stop. This he did with a 12.5 second lead on lap 27 - rejoining in fifth place. Ralf Schumacher had pitted even earlier, but a jammed wheel-gun lengthened his stop considerably. In an effort to make up time, he tried too hard and spun his car into the gravel on lap 36. This left Montoya as the sole Williams, and the Italian GP winner caught and passed leader Michael Schumacher with a superbly judged move into turn 1 on lap 34. He almost immediately pitted for his one and only stop. However, two laps later, Montoya would idle to a stop on the start/finish straight with mechanical problems.

This left Schumacher out front before he made his stop, which elevated the McLarens of Hakkinen and Coulthard to the top two spots. Hakkinen was the next major player to pit, rejoining just ahead of Schumacher but considerably behind Barrichello, who had yet to make his second stop. Barrichello came in for his stop on lap 49, but did not have enough of a lead to rejoin ahead of Hakkinen, instead rejoining in second with a deficit of nearly six seconds. The Brazilian set about chasing down Hakkinen, and had reduced the gap to nearly two seconds before it stabilised, and then started to get larger once again, as smoke started to pour from the Ferrari! Now losing about five seconds a lap, Barrichello was passed by Schumacher, and then by Coulthard, who he held up long enough to spoil a fight that was brewing between the now second and third placed drivers. Despite his problems, fourth place still looked on the cards, before the engine completely gave up the ghost two laps from home.

This allowed Hakkinen to record a victory margin of eleven seconds from Schumacher and Coulthard. Jarno Trulli finished fourth on the road for Jordan, but was subsequently disqualified when it was found that he had an over-worn Skid Block. At the time of writing, Jordan were appealing against the decision. This promoted Eddie Irvine to fourth; the Jaguar driver, the last competitor to make his pit stop. He had passed Heidfeld in the final laps, but the German still took fifth, ahead of Jean Alesi, who scored a point on his 200th Grand Prix.

The Benettons of Giancarlo Fisichella and Jenson Button were next up, ahead of the Prost of Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Olivier Panis, Pedro De La Rosa, Enrique Bernoldi and Tomas Enge completed the finishers. The Minardis of Alex Yoong and Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen (Sauber), Jos Verstappen (Arrows) and Jacques Villeneuve (BAR) all failed to finish.

Race Results
1. Mika Hakkinen (McLaren-Mercedes)
2. Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)
3. David Coulthard (McLaren-Mercedes)
4. Eddie Irvine (Jaguar-Cosworth)
5. Nick Heidfeld (Sauber-Petronas)
6. Jean Alesi (Jordan-Honda)