McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen was third about 46 seconds behind. Ralf Schumacher was fourth for Williams and Jenson Button fifth for Renault ahead of Brazilian Felipe Massa in a Sauber.
Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya started on pole for the third race in a row but completed a hat trick of misfortune with his third retirement in succession.
Montoya was running in fourth place when the Scot tried to overtake into the first corner. The Williams clipped a kerb and swung around, hitting the McLaren.
It also ended Coulthard’s hopes of leapfrogging the Colombian into second place in the championship.
Italian Giancarlo Fisichella had a nightmare start to his 100th grand prix when he and Jordan team mate Takuma Sato collided at the first corner.
Fisichella, starting 18th and two rows behind Japanese rookie Sato, skidded under braking into the first Castrol S curve and hit the other Jordan.
Results:
Race distance: 60 laps, 308.743 kms
1. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari one hour 35 minutes and 7.426 seconds; 2. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1:35:07.720; 3. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1:35:53.871; 4. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:36:14.389; 5. Jenson Button (Britain) Renault 1:36:24.370; 6. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Sauber one lap behind; 7. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber one lap; 8. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault one lap; 9. Olivier Panis (France) BAR one lap; 10. Enrique Bernoldi (Brazil) Arrows one lap; 11. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Jaguar one lap; 12. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR one lap; 13. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Arrows one lap; 14. Allan McNish (Britain) Toyota one lap; 15. Mark Webber (Australia) Minardi two laps; 16. Takuma Sato (Japan) Jordan two laps.
Not classified (did not finish):
Mika Salo (Finland) Toyota 51 laps completed; Alex Yoong (Malaysia) Minardi 48; Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 41; Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 27; David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 27; Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Jordan 26.
Fastest lap:
Michael Schumacher, lap 26, 1:32.226 (200.871 kph)—Reuters