Montoya Gives Williams First Monaco Win in 20 Years

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya ended Williams' 20-year hoodoo in the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday when he claimed victory around the streets of Monte Carlo to score only his second win in Formula One.

Montoya secured the BMW-Williams team's first win in the principality since Keke Rosberg took the chequered flag in 1983 with an impressive drive as he held off the challenge of championship leader Kimi Raikkonen.

The talented Colombian had claimed several pole positions last season but had been unable to turn them into victories and he finally added to his 2001 win in Italy with a measured drive around Monte Carlo's tight, barrier-lined roads.

McLaren-Mercedes driver Raikkonen pushed Montoya all the way but was unable to get close enough to challenge for the lead and settled for eight points to extend his lead in the standings.

He is now four points in front of reigning champion Michael Schumacher after the German came home third ahead of his brother Ralf, who had started from pole for Williams and led only to lose out during the first pitstops.

Renault's Fernando Alonso boosted his points tally with fifth place ahead of teammate Jarno Trulli and McLaren's David Coulthard, with Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello claiming the final points-scoring position.

The race had started with 19 drivers after Briton Jenson Button was withdrawn by his BAR-Honda team after spending Saturday night in hospital following his crash in practice.Ralf Schumacher made the perfect start and was joined at the head of the field by teammate Montoya who passed Raikkonen after the Finn made a slow start.

Alonso was also a big mover at the start as the talented Spaniard, who started from eighth on the grid, got ahead of both Barrichello and David Coulthard to move up to sixth behind Michael Schumacher, who failed to get past Jarno Trulli.

Sauber driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen's race ended when he ploughed into the barriers at the Swimming Pool complex and forced the safety car to be deployed as debris was cleared from the circuit.

The safety car returned to the pits at the end of lap four but eight laps later Jaguar's Antonio Pizzonia retired from the race. Five laps later his teammate Mark Webber also exited the race as he parked up in the pit-lane after experiencing engine problems.

Ralf Schumacher pitted on lap 21 and Montoya put the hammer down before making his stop and set a lap of 1:15.166 -- quicker than the pole time. The effort worked as Montoya emerged ahead of his teammate.

Raikkonen made his first stop and came out between the two Williams drivers, and his teammate Coulthard got ahead of Alonso when the pair both pitted after the Spaniard lost time in traffic on his in-lap.

Michael Schumacher finally pitted on lap 31 and came out ahead of his brother. After the leading drivers had pitted Montoya led Raikkonen with the Schumacher brothers third and fourth, Trulli fifth, Coulthard sixth and Alonso and Barrichello seventh and eighth.

Both Minardis of Jos Verstappen and Justin Wilson retired from the race when they pulled off the track at the chicane because of problems.

Ralf Schumacher made his second stop from fourth place and Montoya followed him in the pits the following lap and Raikkonen was unable to snatch the lead from the Colombian after making his pit-stop.

Coulthard and Trulli almost collided in the pit-lane as they exited their respective boxes, with the Italian the man to get out ahead and hold onto his position. But Alonso made a quick stop and got ahead of both.

At the front, Raikkonen continued to push Montoya with Michael Schumacher in third, but BAR's Jacques Villeneuve retired after pulling off the circuit at the chicane when his Honda engine burst into flames.

Montoya kept his one second gap over Raikkonen as Schumacher chased down the pair, and the Colombian took the chequered flag for a popular victory.

PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The Monaco Grand Prix Monte Carlo, Monaco; 78 laps; 260.520km; Weather: Hot and dry. Classified: Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time 1. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 1h 42:19.010 2. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) + 0.602 3. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) + 1.720 4. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) + 28.518 5. Alonso Renault (M) + 36.251 6. Trulli Renault (M) + 40.972 7. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) + 41.227 8. Barrichello Ferrari (B) + 53.266 9. da Matta Toyota (M) + 1 lap 10. Fisichella Jordan Ford (B) + 1 lap 11. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) + 2 laps 12. Firman Jordan Ford (B) + 2 laps 13. Panis Toyota (M) + 4 laps Fastest Lap: Raikkonen, 1:14.545, lap 49 Not Classified/Retirements: Driver Team On Lap Villeneuve BAR-Honda (B) 64 Wilson Minardi-Cosworth (B) 30 Verstappen Minardi-Cosworth (B) 29 Webber Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 17 Pizzonia Jaguar-Cosworth (M) 11 Frentzen Sauber-Petronas (B) 1 Button BAR-Honda (B) DNS World Championship Standing, Round 7: Drivers: Constructors: 1. Raikkonen 48 1. McLaren-Mercedes 73 2. M.Schumacher 44 2. Ferrari 71 3. Alonso 29 3. Williams-BMW 50 4. Barrichello 27 4. Renault 42 5. Montoya 25 5. Jordan-Ford 11 = Coulthard 25 = BAR-Honda 11 = R.Schumacher 25 7. Sauber 8 8. Trulli 13 8. Jaguar-Cosworth 4 9. Fisichella 10 9. Toyota 3 10. Button 8 11. Frentzen 7 12. Webber 4 13. Villeneuve 3 = da Matta 3 15. Heidfeld 1 = Firman 1 All timing unofficial