Michael Schumacher of Germany came away with a victory in Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, an event that ended early after Frenchman Olivier Panis rammed hard into a tire barrier.

Panis, a Prost team driver who has been among the most competitive Formula One participants this season, lost control of his car on the 53rd lap and was taken from the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit by ambulance. He was reported to be in stable condition at Sacre-Coeur Hospital in Montreal with a broken right leg.

Schumacher was joined on the podium by Frenchman Jean Alesi and young Giancarlo Fisichella of Italy. Also collecting points were German Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Johnny Herbert of Britain and Shinji Nakano of Japan.

The race was becoming a battle of tire wear, and Scotland's David Coulthard looked like an all but certain victor, but he was caught in the pits changing tires when Panis crashed. He was classified seventh. Jacques Villeneuve, who came into the race as the points leader, crashed out on the third lap when he took his Williams-Renault machine into a chicane too fast, and slammed into a wall at the circuit named for his father.

A total of 11 cars, including Panis, were classified at the end of the race from the starting field of 22 cars. Schumacher will reclaim the points lead from Villeneuve, 37 points to 30, with Panis third. The race was the seventh of 17 in Grand Prix events in the Formula One World Driving Championship. The next event is the French Grand Prix at Circuit de Nevers in Magny-Cours, France on June 29th.

1. Michael Schumacher, Germany, Ferrari, 1:17:40.646 seconds, 184.404 km-h;

2. Jean Alesi, France, Benetton-Renault, 1:17:43.211;

3. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Jordan-Peugeot, 1:17:43.865;

4. Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Germany, Williams-Renault, 1:17:44.414;

5. Johnny Herbert, Britain, Sauber-Petronas, 1:17:45.362.

6. Shinji Nakano, Japan, Prost-Mugen-Honda, 1:18:17.347;

7. David Coulthard, Britain, McLaren-Mercedes, 1:18:18.399;

8. Pedro Diniz, Brazil, Arrows-Yamaha, one lap behind;

9. Damon Hill, Britain, Arrows-Yamaha, one lap;

10. Gianni Morbidelli, Italy, Sauber-Petronas, one lap.

11. Olivier Panis, France, Prost-Mugen-Honda, did not finish.

Not classified

Mika Salo, Finland, Tyrrell-Ford, 46 laps completed

Jos Verstappen, Netherlands, Tyrrell-Ford, 42 laps

Alexander Wurz, Austria, Benetton-Renault, 35 laps

Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Stewart-Ford, 33 laps

Jarno Trulli, Italy, Minardi-Hart, 32 laps.

Ralf Schumacher, Germany, Jordan-Peugeot, 14 laps

Ukyo Katayama, Japan, Minardi-Hart, 5 laps

Jacques Villeneuve, Iberville, Que., Williams-Renault, 1 lap

Mika Hakkinen, Finland, McLaren-Mercedes, 0 laps

Eddie Irvine, Britain, Ferrari, 0 laps

Jan Magnussen, Denmark, Stewart-Ford, 0 laps.

Fastest lap: Coulthard, one minute 19.635 seconds (average speed: 199.856 km-h).

Margin of victory: Under caution.

Caution flags: Two for four laps.

Lead changes: Four among two drivers.

Lap leaders: M. Schumacher 1-27; Coulthard 28-39; M. Schumacher 40-43; Coulthard 44-51; M. Schumacher 52-54.