Montoya brings F1 back to life

"Montoya's move was good,'' sniffed Schumacher. "But you just have to look at the times. Montoya was eight seconds slower than my brother. You need more than one passing manoeuvre to be a champion.''

Right. But you also need to avoid finding yourself on the duff end of two sensational passing manoeuvres in the one race. All hail David Coulthard, whose glorious three-abreast overtaking move on Schumacher won him the race - the most impressive victory of the Scot's career, according to his McLaren paymasters.

Schumacher's six-race winning streak from the end of last year gave the illusion he had already created an impenetrable lead, but Coulthard is now only six points behind and still buzzing from the high of Interlagos.

"I have never felt so good after a race, but we must not get carried away when Ferrari are still strong,'' he said. "It's brilliant for me and the important thing is that we are in the hunt for the title. It is a great feeling but Ferrari are still the pace-setters and Williams are proving they can win races. It is a three-way fight.''

It is this last element, and especially the emergence of Montoya, which has most enraptured neutrals. Had he not been put out of the Interlagos race after being tail-ended by Jos Verstappen, then some punters might have collected on Montoya's odds of 66-1 for victory.

As it is, his performances in qualifying and the race - and above all that sensational overtaking of Schumacher - have prompted the nation's turf accountants to wise up. Ladbrokes and Victor Chandler have him at 10s to win this weekend.

Not convinced? Try this. Only last month, just before the first race in Australia, spread-betting firms were forecasting Montoya was good for a season's total of between 17 and 20 points. But now after three races in which he has amassed a grand total of none at all, that quote has not dipped as might be expected, but has instead rocketed to 30-33.

"I understand Michael was not too impressed with Juan Pablo's overtaking manoeuvre,'' said Williams technical director Patrick Head with considerable enjoyment.

"But I have seen Michael do worse and I think Michael is worried. He has recognised there is someone out there as tough as him.''

Sir Frank Williams can certainly permit himself to feel a touch smug, given the drubbing he took for daring to loan Jenson Button to Benetton in order to make way for the Colombian. Button alone will derive scant joy from Montoya's success, which is not only overshadowing his own achievements in the Williams a year ago, but is also in distinct contrast to the grim time of things the young Briton is having at Benetton.

His team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella scaled the team's current height of ambition at Interlagos by fluking a point from 18th on the grid.

Of all drivers Mika Hakkinen finds himself at the wrong end of the bookmaking swingometer.

Last month he was 2-1 for his third world championship. Now he is an unappetising 16-1 with a lone point to his name, 25 adrift of Schumacher. It is true the McLaren has had a handling imbalance which has caused understeer in high-speed corners. It has been so bad the team's technical director Adrian Newey stayed at home to work on the problem rather than going to Interlagos. But Coulthard is driving the same machinery and has made the podium in all three races.

Meantime, Hakkinen's position is even worse than it was this time last year, when Schumacher's early-season dominance prompted many to question whether the championship was over soon after it began. The Finn has not won a race since Belgium last August, and if history is anything to judge by, Imola will yield no improvement since not once in eight attempts has he managed to reach the top step of the podium there. His best was a second last year. Outwardly at least, he remains sanguine.

"Although I have had a disappointing start to the year I am not going to hide away in a box,'' Hakkinen said. "I am going to try and look at the facts. It is no use just feeling sorry for myself. This has given me time to clear my mind and start over again. I feel we are getting a good car for Imola and all I have to do is keep my attitude positive.'' Nor does he accept that Coulthard's victory implies McLaren have moved ahead of Ferrari.

''It was good we got points and cut down Schumacher's winning streak,'' he said. "But there is no reason to get too excited about our win in Brazil.'' Hakkinen may remain resolutely unexcited if he wishes. But several million others expect the buzz to continue at Imola come Sunday.