Race report
Entering the weekend, Justin Wilson led the championship by 20 points from Mark Webber, with 20 points remaining. Qualifying was held in changing weather, with the best conditions coming at the end of the session. Petrobras Junior Team qualified one-two, with Ricardo Sperafico ahead of Antônio Pizzonia. [1] Wilson qualified in third, but would be without the support of teammate Tomáš Enge at the start of the race, as he qualified ninth, with Webber between them in fifth. [2]
The race was held in damp conditions, so the formation and first laps were completed under safety car conditions. Webber had lowered the rideheight of his car on the grid, a decision that led to him crashing in Raidillon on lap two; his car was destroyed, although he walked away with only a minor ankle injury. Pizzonia then spun behind the following safety car and dropped down the field to 15th, but was able to continue. [2]
The race restarted on lap five, and Darren Manning briefly took third place from Ricardo Maurício, but hit a bollard later on the lap and had to replace his front wing. Two laps later, Enge overtook Marc Goossens for fourth. Further back, European Minardi F3000 teammates David Saelens and Andrea Piccini collided, eliminating both drivers from the race. On lap 17, Bas Leinders passed Patrick Friesacher to take sixth. Rain began to fall on the last lap, however, and Friesacher rear-ended Leinders, with Sébastien Bourdais passing them both to take the final point. [2] Sperafico took his first win in F3000, with Wilson second and Maurício third. With Webber's retirement, Wilson secured the championship with one race remaining. [1] Webber and Enge were equal on points in second and third, with fourth-placed Bourdais unable to catch them. [2]
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Mário Haberfeld 
