Emotional Rubens Barrichello dedicated his maiden grand prix triumph to legendary countryman Ayrton Senna after shedding tears of joy in Germany yesterday.

The man who has carried the hopes of the Brazilian nation since Senna's tragic death at Imola six years ago finally fulfilled them in one of the most extraordinary races in championship history.

Barrichello ended a 123-race wait for a victory with an astonishing win for Ferrari despite starting just 18th on the grid at Hockenheim.

The 28-year-old roared home after a Frenchman had cut his way through a wire fence to risk his life by running across the track after protesting about losing his job with Mercedes.

It was the Mercedes-powered McLarens of Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard who were to lose out following his track appearance before he was hauled away by officials in the safety car to be delivered to local police.

But Barrichello's brave decision to trust his skills in the wet when rain turned parts of the track into a skid-pan also paid off in spectacular style.

The Sao Paulo-born driver burst into tears as his country's national anthem played for the first time since three-times world champion Senna's final victory in Australia in 1993.

He then dedicated the win to Senna, who was killed at the San Marino Grand Prix just one day after he visited Barrichello, who was recovering in hospital after his own horrific crash in his Jordan in practice.

''Ayrton changed my life,'' said Barrichello. ''It was he who made me want to race and I followed him into Formula One.

''This is a good day to dedicate this race not only to Ayrton, but to a lot of people who have stayed with me."

Barrichello had written off his chances after qualifying so far down on the grid in a troubled Saturday session when he was forced to wait for repairs to be carried out on team-mate Michael Schumacher's car.

But after coming through the first corner collision that claimed Schumacher for the second race in succession, Barrichello roared through the field.

The former Jordan and Stewart driver, who hoped his move to Ferrari at the start of the season would finally bring him a maiden victory, had forced his way up to third with a just 15 of the 45 laps completed.

Barrichello's lighter fuel-load meant an early stop which dropped him back to sixth, but the appearance of the protester ten laps later offered him his first chance. With the safety car deployed to pick up the man, Barrichello suddenly found himself third again behind Hakkinen and Jordan's Jarno Trulli.

Ten laps from the finish the rain which had thundered down for most of the weekend returned.

Hakkinen and Trulli pitted for wet-weather tyres, but Barrichello opted to gambles by staying on slicks for the remaining ten laps of a race he was now leading.

Barrichello survived a couple of worrying moments before winning by 7.4 seconds from Hakkinen with Coulthard third.

The victory ensured Schumacher would retain his lead in the championship but he is now just two points ahead of joint second-placed Hakkinen and Coulthard with six races left.

The 123-race wait for a victory is also a championship record, beating the 96 grands prix it took Hakkinen before he made the step onto the top of the podium.

''I might have won the race if I had stayed on slicks,'' said Hakkinen, who had dominated after powering from fourth to first at the first corner.

Coulthard was relieved to come home a distant third, having dropped to sixth after a communications glitch with his team.

The 29-year-old Scot had given Schumacher a taste of his own medicine by shooting across in front of the German at the start, forcing his rival to move over only for him to be hit from behind by the following Benetton of Giancarlo Fisichella.

Coulthard was on course for second place before the arrival of the protester which left him still on the track while the rest of the field hastily pitted. ''I didn't even see him,'' said Coulthard. ''I also didn't know the safety car was out. If I had I would have put two and two together and come into the pits.

''I was due to come into for my stop, but when I saw Mika go in front of me I thought he must have a problem. In the stadium I didn't hear the team on the radio so I decided to stay out.

''I was never going to catch Rubens so I thought I might as well make sure I got home safely.''

Barrichello's performance was almost matched by Britain's Jenson Button, who forced his way to a career-best fourth despite starting from the back of the grid after his Williams failed to start on the formation lap.

The 20-year-old's latest display must have further impressed watching Benetton boss Flavio Briatore who is expected to take Button on loan for two years.

Briatore insists no decision has been made yet, but Button being replaced at Williams by Juan Pablo Montoya looks certain to partner Fisichella next season.

''I am very happy considering how my race started,'' said Button, now eighth in the championship