By Andrew Benson BBC Sport Online motorsport editor at Silverstone

Michael Schumacher secured the 60th victory of his Formula One career after rain stalled the challenge of Juan Pablo Montoya at the British Grand Prix.

Schumacher passed the Colombian for the lead in heavy rain on the 16th lap and was never headed again.

Watch a round-up of the race

The world champion took full advantage of the superiority in the wet of his Bridgestone tyres over the Michelins of Montoya's Williams.

He led home Rubens Barrichello for a Ferrari one-two, with Montoya third.

Championship standings

1: M Schumacher 86 pts 2: R Barrichello 32 3: JP Montoya 31 4: R Schumacher 30 5: D Coulthard 26

Barrichello had also passed Montoya - three laps later than Schumacher - but he could not build enough of an advantage to keep him out of range - partly because of a mid-race spin.

An inspired effort by Montoya led to the Williams star passing the Ferrari for second place on lap 42, immediately after they had both stopped for dry tyres.

But Barrichello did not let Montoya get away and he passed for second place four laps later.

It was an appropriate reward for a stunning drive after stalling on the grid at the start of the formation lap.

That meant he had to start from the back, but he scythed through the field and was up into third place by lap 16.

Jacques Villeneuve and Olivier Panis were fourth and fifth for BAR-Honda, for the team's first points of a disappointing season, with Sauber's Nick Heidfeld in sixth.

All three cars were on Bridgestones.

At the head of the field, Schumacher had trailed pole-sitter Montoya until the gentle drizzle that had fallen from the start turned into heavier rain.

After most of the leading cars stopped for rain tyres on lap 13, Montoya was powerless to defend his lead.

Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya started on pole

Montoya said: "As soon as it started drizzling it looked like the slicks were better in the damp and I could go faster, but when it was dry he was faster.

"In the rain he was much faster and I couldn't do a thing. He had an eight-second lead after two laps. I was pushing really hard but there was nothing I could do."

Schumacher said: "It is a very special race today in the conditions and circumstances.

"Silverstone hasn't been that great for me for victories and in terms of the championship it is obviously ideal."

Schumacher can now win the title at the next race if he wins and if Barrichello and Montoya both finish lower than second.

Montoya's Williams team-mate Ralf Schumacher was on his way to fourth place until a problem with his fuel hose delayed him at his pit stop.

That dropped him into an eventual eighth behind Giancarlo Fisichella's Bridgestone-shod Jordan.

David Coulthard had a disastrous race.

A problem with his radio meant that he and McLaren made several wrong decisions on tyres and he fell out of contention.

He finished last but one, ahead only of Jaguar's Pedro de la Rosa.

To complete a terrible day for McLaren, Kimi Raikkonen retired with engine failure in the closing stages of the race.