Schumacher wins in Monaco

World champion Michael Schumacher took full advantage of a disastrous afternoon for McLaren to lead home aFerrari one-two at …

World champion Michael Schumacher took full advantage of a disastrous afternoon for McLaren to lead home aFerrari one-two at the Monaco Grand Prix and extend his lead in the drivers' championship.

It was Schumacher's fifth win in Monaco, one less than Brazilian Ayrton Senna's record, and his fourth in seven races this season.

Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello finished second and Eddie Irvine third to claim Jaguar's first points of the season.

McLaren suffered their fourth stall on the starting grid this season which left Schumacher's title rival David Coulthard, who was on pole, punchinghis steering wheel in frustration and forced to start the race from the back of the grid.

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Coulthard, winner of the last grand prix in Austria and in Monaco last year, was held up by Enrique Bernoldi of Arrows for half the race butBernoldi's pit stop allowed Coulthard to roar his way back through the field.

Coulthard finished fifth to repeat his comeback performance in Barcelona but Schumacher now leads the Briton by 12 points. Coulthard has scoredin every race this season and also stalled in Spain before fighting his way back to fifth.

Schumacher, who took over pole after Coulthard's problems, emerged from a crash-free start to lead Hakkinen in second. But the Finn was forcedinto the pits on lap 14, seconds after he had been overtaken by Barrichello.

Hakkinen, whose car has stalled twice this season on the grid, was forced to retire four laps later, leaving Schumacher to cruise around thesun-drenched street circuit with a 15-second lead. Hakkinen has only four points this year.

The German triple world champion handed over the lead to Barrichello for six laps after a pit stop but the 48th victory of Schumacher's career wasnever in doubt.

The Jordans had a bad weekend with Trulli’s engine going up in flames and Frentzen crashing out on lap 49.

Reuters