Standing on the podium, yelling into the breeze and the rain, Eddie Jordan belted out Amhran na bhFiann, which he had insisted be played "on pain of death", as Heinz-Harald Frentzen won his team only its second ever grand prix win at the French Grand Prix yesterday. When the team earned its maiden win at Spa last year, Jordan was upset that the wrong anthem was played for the constructor but yesterday he revelled in the victory march.

"For once we got the national anthem right," he said. "On pain of penalty of death, they got the anthem right . . . That was very sweet."

But while Frentzen's victory was cause for the sort of riotous celebrations which characterised last year's first win, the winner's team-mate, Damon Hill, left under a cloud as dark and threatening as any that had loomed over Magny Cours during the course of the race.

After a disastrous qualifying session on Saturday had resulted in him admitting that the British Grand Prix in a fortnight's time could be his last big race, the hideous luck that plagued him yesterday left Hill considering immediate withdrawal from Formula One.

Struck by Pedro De La Rosa's Arrows in the pits, Hill suffered a puncture that necessitated a further stop, but after only a lap more, an engine misfire forced him to retire, his fifth withdrawal in seven races.

"Well I hope that wasn't my last race but there's a possibility it might have been. There are a few things that have to be decided," Hill said afterwards.

Jordan, too, admitted that Hill's situation would require sorting out, but was intent on enjoying the victory first.

Jordan was quick to pay tribute to Frentzen, who has been a revelation since joining the team after two difficult seasons at Williams saw him written off as damaged goods, and who was a doubtful starter in France after being hospitalised following a 140 mph smash in Canada a fortnight ago.

"He was fantastic," he said. "To come here without testing and do a remarkable, professional job bearing in mind what he endured this time two weeks ago in a hospital in Montreal. It's probably one of the best turnarounds I have seen from a driver.

"Heinz-Harald has been doing an amazing job. The only problems he has had this year were when the car let him down. . . He's got us our second win which we'll never forget."

Frenzten, who closes the drivers' championship gap to Eddie Irvine to just three points, was meanwhile paying tribute to the team's tactical nous, which had seen him take on enough fuel to avoid a second pit stop, a move which earned him victory as Mika Hakkinen and Rubens Barrichello were both forced to pit ahead of the laden down Jordan.

"It was not a decision I took," he said. "When I went into the pits it was raining heavily and I noticed that the fuelling guys were taking a lot of time. When I went back out the car felt very heavy and I thought: `Jesus, how am I going to keep this on the road?' Luckily the safety car came in and then I talked to the team on the radio and they told me what the strategy was. We had really good radio communication and it worked perfectly."

But while Frenzten was being modest about his achievement, Jordan was indulging in his customary hyperbole: "I said he'd be remarkable, but I'm not sure I believed he'd be as remarkable as this. And I'm an optimist!"