Sunday April 9th, 2000

Jacques Villeneuve celebrated his 29th birthday in typically robust style on Sunday by leading his BAR-Honda team back into the points at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Villeneuve, the 1997 drivers' world champion, had endured a pointless and painful first season with the British American Racing team last year.

But this season all that has changed and he is back to his best as his second points-scoring result of the year demonstrated.

In Sunday's race he produced a staggering 'flying' start which enabled him to move from ninth on the grid up to fifth on the opening lap.

Driving faultlessly, with great support from the team, he stayed there through a hotly-contested 62-lap race to claim two points which lifted him to sixth in the early-season drivers' standings.

"I just got an amazing start," said the Canadian. "The clutch was perfect, there was no wheelspin and going into the first corner I had to brake to avoid hitting Barrichello's Ferrari and the McLaren in front of me.

"The team did a great job on the pitstops, particularly the first one which got me out ahead of Ralf Scumacher's Williams. That was great, but the race showed that we can be competitive and maybe be the best of the rest after Ferrari and McLaren.

"I think Ralf (Schumacher) and Williams are going to be our most likely big rivals this season if we want to hang on to that position."