It was a race of mixed fortunes for the Benson and Hedges Jordan Honda team. Alesi secured a hard fought top ten finish in his first race with the team whilst the unfortunate Jarno Trulli's EJ11 car suffered an hydraulic problem on lap 55.

Alesi, starting 12th on the grid, raced in his space car as he felt it was better balanced than his race car and drove a steady and consistent race as he begun his EJ11 learning curve.
"Considering the circumstances I feel very happy to have finished in the top ten for my first race with the Jordan team," he said. "It was also good that I could take the opportunity to overtake the Jaquar and was able to push hard as the car felt good. It was a really tought race for me as I was learning things about the car all the time and trying to remember which buttons to use and word with a clutch on the steering wheel as opposed to having a pedal. I was trying to look after the front and then the rear tyres and then each set after the pit stops. To bring the car home without any troubles was a good end to a very exciting weekend for me, although next time I hope to bring it home in the points."

Trulli, having driven brilliantly to qualify on the 3rd on Saturday, pushed hard and drove assertively to maintain his 5th position. He was able to achieve this until his first pit stop on lap 29, when a problem with the fuel nozzle extended his pit stop and he lost five places.
"I kept my fifth position at the first corner, but was only able to keep pace for the first five laps as the other cars were faster," the Italian explained. "I was running in fifth up to my first pit stop when there was a problem with the fuel nozzle, so I lost five places and the chance to finish the race in the points. I was able to push harder on the following two sets of tyres and never gave up trying to take the car to the limit. My race was unfortunately then over when the car suffered a hydraulic problem."