Giancarlo Fisichella almost handed Jordan an incredible win at a chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix, only to find, as he parked his EJ13, in flames, in the pitlane that a shortened race result would see his passing move on McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen annulled after a massive start-finish straight smash involving Fernando Alonso meant that under the spo5rt's rules the result would be classified from the previous lap.
Fisichella initially thought he had scored his maiden win and Jordan's first since Monza 1999 and punching his fist in the air, ran to the embrace of his mechanics. But within seconds a fairytale end to Jordan's 200th grand prix expired and the Italian had to settle for second and the Irish team's first podium finish since the US Grand Prix of 2000.
""We really believed it just after the race. It was a fantastic feeling but anyway we're second and its great. it's a very important result for us."," said the Italian afterwards. "I have to say I am very disappointed for two guys, first for Fernando: I hope he's alright. And secondly for myself because I won the race but the rules, when there is a red flag say that the result goes back to one lap before. I am sorry about that but it's a great day anyway.
"We really believed it just after the race. It was a fantastic feeling but anyway we're second and its great. it's a very important result for us." With the result being moved back a lap, it was Raikkonen who took a second successive victory to put in command of the drivers' championship on 26 points, 11 clear of team-mate David Coulthard and 18 beyond Ferrari's Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello, neither of whom finished on a day when appalling track conditions took their toll, with just 10 cars being classified as finishers.
Afterward Raikkonen admiotted he had been lucky to score the win. "Maybe we're a little lucky to get this win, but you take that luck and it's the victory that matters. It was a difficult race because the conditions were so bad, but I'm very happy." The victory was scored under unhappy circumstances, however. As Fisichella, running near the limit of his one-stop fuel load, stormed past Raikkonen into the lead, Jaguar's Mark Webber spunt out and into the wall spraying debris across the track. As the safety car was signalled to enter for a fifth time, Fisichella arced through the debris, convinced of his lead.
But seconds later Alosno, perhaps blinded by spray, failed to see Webber's debris and smashed into a stray wheel in a horrendous crash that brought the race to a premature end.
As Fisichella and Raikkonen pondered the outcome of the race, a stretcher was carrying third-placed Alonso to the circuit medical centre. Initial reports suggested the Spaniard had been seriously injured but he was expected to undergo hospital checks last night.
The points order was rounded out by Coulthard, Sauber's Heinz Harald Frentzen and Webber, Jacques Villenuve and Jarno Trulli.
Fisichella has begun the race in eighth, a position scored on Saturday with a risky light fuel load, but torrential downpours delayed the start and forced the cars to begin under the safety car, Fisichella profirted. On lap seven, with the safety car due in the following tour, the Jordan number one pitted and took on fuel aimed at getting him at least close to the finish.
And a handful of laps later circumstances played into his hadns again, though cruelly for Jordan. At the tail of the field with team-mate Ralph Firman behind andf Olivier Panis ahead, Fisichella was suddenly in the midst of carnage as Firman's front suspension collapsed and his spinning JOrdan took out Panis's Toyota.
That brought the safety car and as the bulk of the field pitted, Fisichella rose to 13th from where he could attack.
