Ferrari star Michael Schumacher rewrote Formula One history today by clinching a record-breaking 52nd career victory in a stop-start Belgian Grand Prix.
The newly crowned world champion kept his cool to win an accident-plagued race which was halted after only four laps following a nasty crash involving Brazil's Luciano Burti.
Schumacher, who secured his fourth world title when he won the Hungarian Grand Prix two weeks ago, took the chequered flag ahead of McLaren's David Coulthard and Benetton's Giancarlo Fisichella.
Mika Hakkinen took fourth place from Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello while Alesi grabbed the final point in only his second race for Jordan.
Schumacher’s win saw him break French legend Alain Prost's record for all-time Grand Prix victories with 51 triumphs.
There was disappointment for Williams' Colombian driver Juan-Pablo Montoya however, who had entertained hopes of victory after taking a superb pole in qualifying on Saturday.
Nothing went right for Montoya, who stalled at the start and was forced to begin from the back of the grid before retiring on lap six.
The race had been halted on lap four following Burti and Ulsterman Eddie Irvine's crash.
Burti's Prost-Acer went hurtling off the track and ploughed head-first into a tyre wall after Irvine's Jaguar clipped the South American's car as he attempted to pass.
Irvine's car also left the track but did not crash as heavily. Race officials and Irvine sprinted over to Burti's stricken Prost and began removing a mound of tyre's that had buried the car.
Burti was not moving and was put into the ambulance immediately without any emergency treatment being administered and taken to the medical centre.
About 10 minutes later an official announcement was made saying that Burti was conscious. He was later transferred to hospital in Liege where he was being treated for concussion. His condition is stable. AFP