Juan Pablo Montoya was forced to retire after damaging his car on a loose drain cover while Kimi Raikkonen was held up by Giancarlo Fisichella and had to make do with second place.

Ralf Schumacher completed a season of real progress for Toyota with third place as Fisichella finished fourth to confirm Renault’s world title double.

Christian Klien claimed his best result of the season for Red Bull in finishing fifth while Felipe Massa was sixth for Sauber.

Mark Webber was seventh for Williams, just ahead of BAR-Honda’s Jenson Button, who scored points for the 10th race in succession with eighth. Davi Coulthard was ninth for Red Bull.

Outgoing world champion Michael Schumacher saw the last race of his five-year reign begin in ignominious circumstances with a bizarre accident on his way to the grid.

The Ferrari driver slowed, catching Minardi’s Christijan Albers by surprise. The Dutchman ploughed into the back of Schumacher, bouncing over his rear wheel and destroying half his car. Both drivers started from the back in spare cars.

Alonso made a clean getaway to lead into turn one while Fisichella held off Raikkonen to keep second. Montoya got by Button to move into fourth.

Takuma Sato made the most progress, moving from 17th to 12th, but he had jumped the start and was given a drive-through penalty.

Running first and second, Renault were able to dictate the pace and Fisichella held up Raikkonen while Alonso made his escape.

However, the battle at the front was thrown open when a drain cover came lose on lap 18. Montoya clouted the debris and had to pit for a new tyre as the safety car came out.

Two former world champions managed to lose concentration even at the reduced pace. Sauber’s Jacques Villeneuve ran wide while Michael Schumacher’s troubles got even worse when he spun out.

When racing resumed Raikkonen tried in vain to pass Fisichella as McLaren’s championship hopes suffered a terminal blow when Montoya retired in the pits.

The safety car out again on lap 30 when Narain Karthikeyan destroyed his Jordan in a high-speed smash. Again, most of the field opted to make pit stops and Raikkonen was able to leapfrog Fisichella.

Green flags waved again at the end of lap 34 and Sato’s race lasted just a few corners more before his BAR abruptly slowed.

Barrichello made a mistake on lap 44 under intense pressure from Webber, allowing the Australian and Button to pass. Coulthard followed suit a lap later.

Fisichella’s podium hopes were dashed late on when he was punished for blocking in the pit lane with a drive through penalty, handing third to Ralf Schumacher.