THE UNBOUNDED joy of the Ferrari team celebrating their first win of the year and Eddie Irvine's third podium finish on the trot, cast doubts on the theory that Formula One is just another business. Moments later, that theory was totally demolished when the normally ultra cool Jackie Stewart broke down in tears of joy when asked what his son's team's second place meant to him.
Elsewhere, the celebrations were more subdued, with the Jordan camp disappointed after gaining just a single point - small reward after running second and third for the early part of the race.
But the day belonged to Ferrari and, in particular, to the race winner, Michael Schumacher. On the grid in second place, he had no difficulty making his mind up about which tyres to use, as the dark Mediterranean clouds hit the peaks of the Grand Corniche towering over the Principality.
"Last year it was a bit damp also and I started on slicks and I was in the barrier on the first lap. This track is slippy in the dry. In the wet you have no chance on slicks," said the German driver.
Schumacher powered away taking Jordan ace Giancarlo Fisichella with him as the Williams pair floundered, wheels spinning frantically for grip from their slicks. Jacques Villeneuve, who crashed later on, explained their extraordinary tyre choice: "We had information that it would dry out after half an hour".
Frank Williams must think very highly of the talent of his drivers, if he thought they could last on slicks for 30 minutes when Schumacher couldn't last five minutes last year.
But yesterday, Schumacher's two hour drive through incessant rain was a breathtaking display, as lap after lap, he had the car dancing through the narrow streets of the exotic metropolis.
Out of Rascasse to start each lap, he would power on, the car would snake, a tiny lift off and back on the power and on for a further iteration or two until his Ferrari was hurtling at 160 mph, almost in a straight line, towards St Devote. In two laps the Ferrari had the rest of the field 11 seconds behind his ball of spray and, despite a quick excursion up the escape road at St Devote, the German ace held a comfortable lead right through to the chequered flag.
Then the celebrations. Schumacher hugged teammate Irvine, as the Irishman stepped from his Ferrari complete with a prominent shamrock on his helmet. The pair then turned to team manager Jean Todt and together they tossed their boss skyward in jubilation.
After Prince Rainier presented Schumacher with the winner's trophy and Princess Caroline gave Irvine his cup, the pair stepped down from the podium, ran across the track and doused their mechanics with champagne.
Irvine has a reputation as a wet weather maestro, as you would expect from someone who learned their trade in Mondello and Kirkiston and yesterday's conditions suited him perfectly: "Considering I was starting from 15th I can't complain with another podium finish. The only problem is the lack of visibility and the fact that you have no room for error here," said the delighted Ulsterman, who escaped a first lap crash when Damon Hill ran into him.
"In actual fact the car is far easier to drive in the wet. The physical effort in turning the wheel and braking is much less but of course the concentration level required is much higher than in the dry, with the track changing each lap."
