Monte Carlo, Jun 02: Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya won the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday to end a 20-year Williams jinx. Ralf Schumacher took advantage of pole position to lead teamate Montoya into the first bend but the race was soon slowed after Heinz Harald Frentzen crashed his Sauber and the safety car came out while the wreckage was removed. Australia`s Mark Webber was an early retirement in the Jaguar, which had pneumatic problems, as the two Williams continued to lead. When Ralf Schumacher made his pitstop and dropped to eighth place, Montoya took the lead and stayed ahead of his teammate after his own pitstop. The lead swapped with pitstops and Raikkonen, Michael Schumacher and Jarno Trulli. Montoya inherited the lead with Raikkonen second when Michael Schumacher made his first stop on the 31st lap but the Finn was ahead again when Montoya pitted for the second time, rejoining in third place. The older Schumacher brother led again in the Ferrari when Raikkonen stopped for the second time.


Trulli and David Coulthard`s McLaren had their own race for the minor placings, both making rapid and simultaneous pitstops which saw Trulli edge ahead of Coulthard in the pit exit lane.


Schmacher built up a 12 second lead which he lost to Montoya on his second and final stop. It was a lead Montoya never lost and he crossed the line ahead of Raikkonen and Schumacher`s Ferrari.


It was the second win of Montoya`s 41 race career and the first of the season for BMW-powered Williams, whose last triumph in the Mediterranean principality was in 1983 with Finland`s Keke Rosberg.


Finland`s Kimi Raikkonen finished runner-up for McLaren, 0.6 of a second behind Montoya, to stretch his championship lead over Ferrari`s world champion Michael Schumacher to four points after seven races. Raikkonen has 48 points, Schumacher 44.


Schumacher finished a close third, his hopes of equalling the late Brazilian Ayrton Senna`s record of six Monaco wins in tatters after a highly strategic race on a tight street circuit where overtaking is almost impossible.


It was the first time since Ferrari introduced their new F2003-GA car last month that the Italian team had been beaten and ended Schumacher`s quest for a fourth victory in a row after a poor start to the season.


Montoya`s team mate Ralf Schumacher was fourth, after starting from pole, with Spaniard Fernando Alonso fifth for Renault ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli in the French manufacturer`s other car.


McLaren`s David Coulthard was seventh, a disappointment for the Scot who has won twice in the last four years, while Brazilian Rubens Barrichello claimed the final point for champions Ferrari.


McLaren regained the lead in the constructors` championship with 73 points to Ferrari`s 71. Briton Jenson Button did not start after bring withdrawn by his BAR team following a heavy crash in Saturday`s free practice.


Formula One world championship standings after Sunday`s Monaco Grand Prix: Drivers 1. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 48 points 2. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 44 3. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 29 4. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 27 5. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 25 6. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 25 7. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 25 8. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault 13 9. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Jordan 10 10. Jenson Button (Britain) BAR 8 11. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Sauber 7 12. Mark Webber (Australia) Jaguar 4 13. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 3 14. Cristiano da Mata (Brazil) Toyota 3 15. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber 1 16. Ralph Firman (Britain) Jordan 1


Constructors 1. McLaren 73 points 2. Ferrari 71 points 3. Williams 50 4. Renault 42 5. Jordan 11 6. BAR 11 7. Sauber 8 8. Jaguar 4 9. Toyota 3 10. Minardi 0


Bureau Report