Imola, Italy - Double world champion Michael Schumacher of Germany completed a hat-trick of season-opening victories on Sunday when he finished 1.1 seconds clear of nearest rival Mika Hakkinen in the San Marino Grand Prix.
German Schumacher made the most of his Ferrari team's superior race strategy to seize his triumph after Hakkinen had led from pole position for 44 laps of the 62-lap race.
Defending champion Hakkinen of Finland was unable to catch him in a tense closing section of the race and finished second ahead of his McLaren team mate Briton David Coulthard.
Brazilian Rubens Barrichello finished fourth in the second Ferrari to add more points to the Italian team's lead in the constructors championship table to the delight of legions of fans at Ferrari's home track.
Canadian Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 world champiom, finished fifth for the BAR team ahead of Finn Mika Salo, who was sixth for Sauber.
Schumacher's win was the 38th of his career and gives him a perfect 30 points after three rounds of this year's title race.
Formula One world championship motor racing standings after Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix:
Drivers' championship:
1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 30 points
2. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 9
3 Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 8
4 Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 6
4 Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 6
6. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 5
7 Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Jordan 4
7 David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 4
9. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan 3
10 Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) BAR 1
10 Jenson Button (Britain) Williams 1
10 Mika Salo (Finland) Sauber 1
Constructors' championship:
1. Ferrari 39 points
2. McLaren 10
3. Benetton 8
4 Jordan 7
4 Williams 7
6. BAR 6
7. Sauber 1
- Reuters