Michael Schumacher leads from Jarno Trulli before things went pear shaped for both Ferrari and Jordan. (© Allsport)

04/06/00: David Coulthard won the Monaco Grand Prix today after Michael Schumacher dropped out when leading through 55 laps. Schumacher's Ferrari developed rear suspension problems. He seemed to have problems since his pit stop on the 49th lap of the 78-lap race after leading by more than 30 seconds.

Coulthard in his McLaren-Mercedes took over first just as he pitted at the end of the 56th lap and went on to take his second victory of the season and eighth career victory.

It was the first time he had won at Monaco where his record has been poor. In five previous races, he had dropped out four times.

"I always said there are a few grands prix I would like to win and Monaco is among them because technically it is one of the most challenging.

"Okay I benefited today because of Michael and Jarno, but I had my share of bad luck in the year.

"The car felt good. I was able to run quick laps. Great day of us," he said.

Second was Rubens Barrichello in the other Ferrari, 15.9 seconds behind.

Third was Giancarlo Fisichella in a Benetton-Playlife, followed by Eddie Irvine in a Jaguar-Cosworth and Mika Salo in a Sauber-Petronas.

Two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen of Finland was sixth more than a lap behind, he too having problems earlier in the race but was able to return after a long pit stop.

The race was aborted twice just after the start due to various engine and computer failures.

When the race finally got under way more than a half-hour late, Schumacher went into the lead and moved away easily. He was setting fastest laps nearly every time with a clear field ahead of him.

He was gaining nearly a second a lap over Jarno Trulli, who started in second place with the other Jordan.

By 10 laps the lead was up to 10.8 seconds. By 25 it was up to 25.4 seconds.

Behind him the parade of Trulli, Coulthard, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Hakkinen and Ralf Schumacher continued until the 36th lap when three of the five encountered problems.

Hakkinen slowed down considerably and needed a pit stop that lasted more than 53 seconds.

At about the same time Trulli encountered gearbox problems and went out putting Coulthard in second place on the 37th lap about 37 seconds behind Schumacher.

Then Ralf Schumacher banged into a wall and went out, immediately geting out on the car, with a leg injury and waving for the doctors. He was taken away on a stretcher.

That put the order at Michael Schumacher, Coulthard, Frentzen, Barrichello, Fisichella and Irvine.

Hakkinen was more than a lap behind in 13th place.

At the end of the 49th lap, Schumacher pitted for fuel and tyres and came out 11 seconds ahead of Coulthard.

But it dropped by a second each lap until Schumacher suddenly slowed on the 55th lap. His car limped into the pits where his crew tried to repair the damage. After a minute, they gave up and Schumacher was out of the race.

For a time the Jordan driven by Frentzen looked likely to give the team second place but Frentzen smacked his car into a barrier and went out of the race.

It was the first race of the season that Schumacher dropped out of. He had won four of the first six races of the season. Despite the failure, Schumacher still has a lead in the standings with 46 points. Coulthard moved into second with 34 points ahead of Hakkinen who has 29.

Eddie Irvine took fourth to earn Jaguar their first F1 points.

The next race is the Canadian Grand Prix June 18.-AFP