Giancarlo Fisichella yesterday delivered a season lifeline to Eddie Jordan's troubled team by claiming fifth place and two crucial points at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Fisichella took the points despite constant pressure from McLaren's David Coulthard and Renault's Jenson Button, with just over a second separating the three as they crossed the finishing line.

The team's celebrations were tempered, however, by team-mate Takuma Sato being hospitalised after a massive crash with Sauber's Nick Heidfeld at the Remus Kurve.

Fisichella, who had qualified a poor 15th on Saturday, had not held out much hope of a good result before the race but got away well, making his way to ninth by the end of lap one.

When team-mate Sato's smash brought out the safety car for the second time on lap 28, Jordan strategist Gary Anderson reacted quickly and brought Fisichella in for new tyres an enough fuel to get him to the end of the race.

He rejoined in 12th but as the rest of the field peeled in for their pit stops, Fisichella rose to sixth, with David Coulthard in his sights. Despite a long end of race tussle with Coulthard and Button, the Italian held on to take the Irish team's first points of the season.

"When I was behind the McLaren, it was quicker on the straights, but I was confident in the corners," said Fisichella, whose last points came in Belgium last year when he was third for Benetton.

"Then David hit an oily patch on the track and I had my chance to take fifth place. It felt fantastic when I crossed the line and I'd like to say thank you to the team." The joy was somewhat muted, however, by the accident involving Sato. The Japanese driver was running well on lap 27 and, having been brought in for refuelling and new tyres during the first safety car period, looked poised for a possible points finish. However, as he rounded turn two, two cars back Nick Heidfeld was losing control of his car, missing his braking point. His Sauber spun and speared across the grass strip on the inside of the corner, the rear of his car broadsiding Sato, who was exiting the turn.

While Heidfeld was quickly helped from his stricken car, appearing to suffer minor leg injuries, Sato remained trapped in his EJ12 before being freed and taken to hospital in Graz.

"Takuma will remain in Geraz's University Hospital for observation overnight," said a Jordan spokesperson.

"His manager, Andrew Gilbert-Scott has contacted the team from Graz to explain that the initial diagnosis is 'soft tissue' damage to the right thigh, but there appears to be no broken bones.

After the race Eddie Jordan admitted it had been a "miracle" that Sato had not been severely injured but said that Fisichella's result was a major boost.

"I think we took a fantastic decision with Taku because he pitted and he had enough fuel to get him home and he did that on the very first lap of the first safety car period," he said. "Gary and I had a quick discussion and it was the right thing to do. Then he had the accident and in the second safety car period, we said 'shit, we must do exactly the same for Giancarlo'. He came straight in. He had the fuel and we knew we would get him to the end.

" We knew we'd be slow but that we'd finish the race. I think this was the turning point. Passing the McLaren was very pleasing. What was also nice was that the car, in race trim, with the new little things we're doing was good. It was a good race between a Jordan, a McLaren, a Renault and a BAR and we held our position."

The Irishman fought shy of suggesting that this may mark a turning point in the team's 2002 performance however. "We have to be very careful here. There are teams like Jaguar, like Arrows, like myself and people like Toyota who got points in other races and you think it's a huge springboard and it hasn't happened for them.

" It probably, may not happen for Jordan. I wouldn't expect it so soon (as Monaco). But I do see this, psychologically for Jordan, as a big change. Fingers crossed though, we know Giancarlo can do wonders in Monaco."