David Coulthard produced one of the greatest victories of his career to leave Michael Schumacher's bid for the record books in tatters in Brazil.

The Scot, who turned 30 six days ago, triumphed in a thrill-a-lap grand prix in Sao Paulo to bring the world champion's six-race winning streak to an end.

Coulthard's 10th career victory also dashed any hopes Schumacher had of beating the all-time record of nine consecutive victories set by Italy's Alberto Ascari 48 years ago.

The McLaren racer triumphed after conjuring up a stunning overtaking manoeuvre on Schumacher to eventually win by just over 16 seconds from his Ferrari rival.

Coulthard is now just six points adrift of Schumacher with three rounds of the 17-race season gone, although he admitted he needed a slice of fortune to win for the first time since France last June.

The Monaco-based driver only inherited the lead after Colombia's Juan Pablo Montoya was denied what would have been a famous victory when he was hit into retirement.

Montoya looked set to triumph in only his third race - just five other drivers have won quicker - when his Williams was sent spinning off the track after being rammed from behind by Jos Verstappen's Arrows.

Coulthard said: ''I had almost forgotten how to win. After the first couple of races we were wondering when we would win this year.

''Who wants to celebrate their 30th birthday, so I'll dedicate this to my sister Lindsay whose birthday it is today. She asked me to get her a win for her.

''It was important that we stopped Ferrari and Michael's winning run. We have caught up after being on the back-foot this season, but the win owed a lot to Juan Pablo's misfortune.

''He was looking good and Williams obviously have a strong package. They will be serious contenders for the championship and we will have a real fight with them.''

Montoya, the 1999 Champ Car champion who replaced Jenson Button at Williams, took advantage of the departure of the safety car to snatch the lead in a grand prix for the first time.

The 25-year-old blasted past Schumacher, forcing the triple champion onto the grass verge, at the start of the third lap as the safety car returned having been sent on after Mika Hakkinen's McLaren stalled at the start. Montoya then built up a comfortable lead over Coulthard, who had inherited second place after Schumacher made the first of his two pit-stops.

But just when he must have been thinking about a victory he overtook Verstappen, who was being shown the blue warning flag, only for the Dutchman's Arrows car to hit him from behind.

The Arrows rolled onto the back of Montoya's car, ripping off his rear wing and sending him spinning onto the gravel on lap 39.

Coulthard was left with a 30-second lead, more than enough for him to make his only stop, but within a few laps of making his pit-stop the expected thunderstorm suddenly doused the track.

Schumacher took the lead as Coulthard stayed out for an extra lap but saw his advantage reduced to just a second when he had the first of two spins.

Coulthard made his move as they began lap 50, thrillingly darting down the inside as Schumacher was forced to go wide to pass backmarker Tarso Marques' Minardi.

It was a move just as good as the one hailed as probably the greatest ever when Hakkinen overtook Schumacher in Belgium last year, though this time Coulthard did it in the wet.

''The Minardi went wider than I expected, and David took his chance and went down the inside,'' said Schumacher, who had started on pole. But if he had not got me there he would have got me later.

''I was hoping for rain because I knew David had done his stop. But the car was not working how we wanted in the wet, which is why I had my two spins. It's disappointing to lose, but we can accept it.

''I have no problems with Montoya. With the safety car the guy behind you can get a pull. We touched as he went past, but that's racing.''

Germany's Nick Heidfeld took third place despite finishing a lap down to claim the first podium of his career and that of his team Sauber after Jordan's Heinz-Harald Frentzen ran into problems late on.

''This is amazing,'' said Heidfeld who failed to score a point for Prost last year.

''I am having a lot more fun this season.''

Frenchman Olivier Panis took fourth place for BAR, with Jarno Trulli fifth for Jordan and Giancarlo Fisichella sixth for Benetton despite starting 18th.

Fisichella's teammate Jenson Button was 10th, just one year after becoming the first driver in history to score a championship point on the Brazilian track. Eddie Irvine saw his chances of scoring Jaguar Racing's first points of the season dashed when he spun twice in quick succession, the second hiccup ending his race.