It was supposed to be the beginning of a new rivalry, with David Coulthard billed as a bona fide, real deal number one contender; a man who could reel in Michael Schumacher's runaway lead in the world championship. They had even spent the pre-race build-up verbally sparring like a couple of pugs, firing off claim and counterclaim about ability, stamina and will to win.

But in the end, like every other prizefight staged these days, it was so much bluster, followed by so little action.

It had started promisingly with pole-winner Schumacher and second-placed Coulthard roaring away from the lights almost in tandem. As they barrelled their way through the tricky first corner, s BAR's Jacques Villeneuve sent the local crowd into paroxysms of delight with a daredevil start around the outside of the grid which launched him from sixth to third.

But as has happened so many times this season, a lightning start from the French-Canadian only serves to turn his leaden car into a moving bulwark, holding up all the following traffic as the leaders are allowed to eat up the track.

Fine. Rubens Barrichello and Mika Hakkinen, initially in fourth and fifth, provided a lesser Ferrari/McLaren duel - but above all we were promised a Coulthard/Schumacher showdown.

But that was without consideration of the rules. At the start of the warm-up lap Coulthard had stalled. His crew came to his immediate rescue, getting his McLaren MP415 started just as the warm-up lap lights went out. The Scot cruised around, took his station on the front row and when the start light went out set off after Schumacher. Game on.

But in the back of the mind lurked the knowledge that it t wasn't quite right.

Twelve laps in and a flurry of activity and paper shuffling at McLaren brought the news that Coulthard had received a 10-second stop-go penalty. Trapped in the pits, waiting for the clock to tick down, the Scot could simultaneously see his race flicker and die. Rejoining in 10th the gap to Schumacher was over 20 seconds and growing. Game over.

Even the intervention of rain two thirds of the way through t wasn't enough to inject some life into the battle at the front. Schumacher, being Schumacher, lapped it up, pushing his Ferrari F12000 to less speedy but sublimely controlled heights. While the back markers skated across the rain-slick surface of the Ile Notre Dame circuit, Schumacher drifted serenely on to victory.

After qualifying on Saturday, Schumacher admitted that the jinx of pole had begun to weigh on his mind of late. But yesterday the bizarre statistic of no pole-winner having taken a victory in the last 12 races was finally quashed as the German scrambled his way out of the final chicane, the Bienvenue corner and across the line to take his 40th career win and his fifth victory of the season.

"I basically guessed that Coulthard had a problem because his crew stayed working on the car within the last 15 seconds, and that's not allowed - so we guessed something was going on," said Schumacher. "But, honestly, it didn't affect my race. David was never close enough to attack me, so I went with my usual style."

The win now lifts Schumacher to a 22-point lead over Coulthard in the world championship (56 to 34), with Hakkinen, who claimed fourth yesterday, a further two points back on 32.

With Rubens Barrichello taking a deserved and hard-won second place to ensure s Ferrari's second one-two of the season, the Italian team extended their lead in the constructors' championship. The Italian marquee climbs to 84 points, 18 points clear of nearest rivals McLaren.

Benetton climb to third after Giancarlo Fisichella collected yet another podium finish yesterday. The Italian who, rumour has it, extended his Benetton contract for another two years this week, has now featured in the points five times this season with three of those being podium finishes.

With Fisichella third and Hakkinen in a comfortable fourth, the remaining points positions were s anybody's once the rain began to fall. With Villeneuve struggling back in 10th after pit stops, Jordan's Jarno Trulli made his claim for fifth. But the young Italian reckoned without s Arrows' Jos Verstappen.

The Dutchman changed his helmet design this week to a solid orange colour to celebrate his national s side's participation in the Euro 2000 championship and yesterday he drove with the same bullish, arrogant flair his home s country's best sides have always displayed. Battling from 13th on the grid, Verstappen nudged and bruised his way through.

Trulli stood no chance. Sixty-two laps in and the Jordan driver was swallowed whole by Verstappen, who streaked away to vainly chase Hakkinen and claim his first points of the year for Arrows.

Trulli hung on grimly for sixth to earn Jordan a much-needed point. But still the Irish s team's season refuses to kick into gear. With the circus now heading back to Europe and the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours, Jordan will yet again hope that history can repeat itself.

After crashing badly in Canada last year, Frentzen went to France nursing a fractured knee and won. Jordan will be praying for a similar miracle recovery this year.