Just when everyone thought McLaren were out of the running this year, David Coulthard completed one of his most brilliant performances to return to the top of the podium after more than a year of drought. Karl Ludvigsen pays tribute to the Scot

The whole world was watching. Never before has the attention of the press and public been so focused on Formula One. After the disappointments and upsets of Austria, our sport was in the dock. Everyone - and I mean everyone - wanted to see what would happen in Monaco. And this, to boot, was the showcase event of the year. Interest would have been sky-high anyway. And what did the circus deliver? Darn near the tightest and most interesting race we've seen in a while. We couldn't have ordered up a better battle for the occasion. Just what the doctor prescribed.

We had thrills and spills galore, but thankfully no injuries. When Takuma Sato went sideways into the barriers on the run down from the tunnel, one could only think of Karl Wendlinger's 1994 accident in virtually the same situation that effectively ended his Formula One career. This was the crash and injury that led to the higher cockpit sides that now leave less room for lateral head movement. There was action aplenty at Monte Carlo, but the main personal damage seems to have been to Massa's nose.

And at the top of the podium was David Coulthard, scoring his 12th Grand Prix victory in his eighth race at Monaco. My feeling before the race was that as a resident of Monte Carlo, David should know his way around. He even has a part interest in a hotel there, so he should be prepared to display his home town's merits to best advantage. And did he ever! I was impressed by how relaxed he was before the race, talking to Peter Windsor and his agent Martin Brundle.

Coulthard's laid-back demeanour was exceptional, I thought - as if he had great confidence in the shrewd preparation that McLaren had brought to this race. Their strategy was excellent: concentrate on qualifying to get a great grid position, and make sure the software was ready to deliver an outstanding launch. This week a lot of software guys will be having to fend off demands from their chief engineers: "Why can't you get it as good as that?" We have to give Mercedes-Benz a lot of credit too. The software is important, but if the engine can't deliver the right torque at the right time, it's all in vain.

And how about that mid-race tweak of the engine? That's one for the books. When the Mercedes started smoking we thought it was the beginning of the end for David. According to Patrick Head - as good an authority as any - the McLaren's engine was missing a bit on one bank. Using their telemetry from the pits, the Mercedes technicians made an adjustment - probably in the mixture on that bank - and it cleared up. As far as we know that's the first time this season that this technology, newly permitted, has made a major difference in the outcome of a race.

But at the heart of it all was David Coulthard, who kept his McLaren off the barriers and drove like a champ from flag to flag. In the post-race ceremonies he even showed a bit of emotion. But it still doesn't seem easy to penetrate the reserve of this square-jawed Scot. He's by far Britain's most accomplished and experienced Formula One racer, but the British press is always looking for someone else to hype. What could account otherwise for Buttonmania?

Why is it so hard to get excited about David Coulthard? Is he too much like one of the Thunderbird puppets to seem real? Is it his apparent reluctance to communicate much in the way of emotion? I'm reminded of another high-ranking British sportsman, tennis star Tim Henman. Tim's doing very well these days, but the press still don't consider him very charismatic. The other day he expressed his frustration: "What do I have to do to be more exciting? Set myself on fire?"

Coulthard could well be asking the same thing. Mind you, setting himself in fire is practically what he did when his private jet crashed and he and his lady crawled from the wreckage. That got him some sympathetic press for a while. But I suppose it's not the kind of thing you want to do all that often.

I confess I don't know the answer. But David won a lot of respect at Monaco last weekend. Over the radio Adrian Newey said, "That has to be your best ever, David." I would second that, and so did the guy who sat on his right in the press conference. Michael - not one to praise Coulthard unduly - complimented him on his drive. In the doghouse Schumi might still be, but that counts for something.