Eddie Jordan's driving ambition for Jordan Grand Prix to become the 25th team to be a race winner in the history of the FIA World Championship became reality in the most fitting setting of the historic Spa Francorchamps track, home to the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix yesterday.

Jordan wept as Damon Hill led team-mate Ralf Schumacher across the finish line to score the team's maiden victory in its 126 race career which started in 1991. Hill drove a storming race in difficult conditions - he was never lower than second - while Ralf Schumacher did his team duty and refrained from challenging Hill in the closing laps of the incident packed race.

Before the race Jordan talked of Spa - a grand prix venue since 1925 - bringing him the luck of the Irish in the past. However, if would be wrong to put yesterday's win down to luck. Hill never made a mistake, while his only rival, Michael Schumacher, made a gross error of judgement, ramming David Coulthard's McLaren and losing the chance to take the Championship lead. Hill lined up third on the grid - his best qualification of the year - but didn't make a good start, rounding La Source in fifth place where he escaped the carnage caused by race leader David Coulthard spinning.

Eddie Irvine limped from his wrecked Ferrari - one of eight cars damaged - while Hill picked his way safely through and around to a line-up for the second start one hour later. "The second time I made no mistake," said the delighted Hill, who scored 21 wins with Williams. Hill powered around the outside of La Source and led as the cars accelerated downhill to the daunting 180mph Eau Rouge bend in a curtain of spray.

World Championship contenders Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen touched at the first bend, the Finn retiring after Herbert failed to avoid the stationary McLaren. The incident delayed Schumacher no more than an instant and he aimed his Ferrari squarely at his old enemy, Hill.

"That guy (Schumacher) must have influence upstairs," he said pointing to the skies. "I was set up with low downforce and intermediate tyres assuming the rain would ease. Michael was on full wets assuming the rain would get heavier - which it did!"

For the first seven laps of the 44 scheduled, Hill fended off the German but, going into the `Bus Stop' chicane, Schumacher dived through on the inside. Thereafter, the full wets allowed Schumacher to pull away from Hill and the Ferarri driver had a 20-second lead by half distance when he came up to lap Coulthard.

Schumacher then slammed into the back of the Scot: "He seemed to be running five or six seconds slower than his real pace when I got to him. He knows not to slow on the straight. So one would think he did it deliberately," said the incensed German, who managed to limp the stricked Ferrari back to the pit on three wheels. Clearly, Schumacher had made a grievous mistake himself, which may yet cost him the world title.

Eddie Jordan by now was sitting alone on the pit wall - the rest of his team under an adjacent canopy. "Damon and Ralf were one-two and we were coming into the closing stages. It was terrible on the nerves! Then the pace car came out and our 20-second lead vanished. I prayed they might stop the race early!" he said. The last 10 laps were nail-biting in the Jordan garage. So often in the past the team has touched the hem of success only for it to vaporise in front of their eyes. This time the result the team has dreamt of materialised. Their were many tears and McLaren boss Ron Dennis and Tom Walkinshaw of Arrows were the first to congratulate the Irishman of achieving a lifelong ambition. "Damon drove a mighty race - he was on top of the game all weekend - and Ralf showed great maturity in keeping to team orders as agreed," Jordan said. "Spa has always been lucky for us so I brought 70 of the factory-based staff here to see the race. I don't think any of us can believe it!"

The race is also the first race win for Mugen Honda since the Japanese company scored a victory with Olivier Panis driving a Ligier-Prost at Monaco in 1996. The result moves Jordan to within seven points of third-placed Williams in the constructors' championship in this defining year of their existence.