Background: 2006 Formula One Grand Prix season

Oct 22, 2006, 20:43 GMT

Sao Paolo, Brazil - The 2006 Formula One season was dominated by seven-time champion Michael Schumacher's decision to retire from the sport and his duel at the top of the drivers' standings with defending world champion Fernando Alonso in a Renault.

The following is a race-by-race comparison between the two leading drivers.

1st race in Bahrain: Schumacher starts from pole position but finishes second behind Alonso, who started from fourth on the grid. Alonso leads 10-8.

2nd race in Malaysia: Alonso finishes second behind team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella as Renault complete a 1-2 in Sepang. Schumacher comes home sixth to trail the Spaniard 18-11.

3rd race in Australia: Alonso wins as Schumacher crashes spectacularly in what is a bad weekend for Ferrari. Alonso leads 28- 11.

4th race at Imola: Schumacher wins from pole position in the San Marino Grand Prix with Alonso second. Alonso leads 36-21.

5th race at Nuerburgring: Schumacher is able to stay out on the track three laps longer than the leading pole-position holder Alonso before the second pit stop, enough to seal victory in the European GP. Alonso finishes second and now leads 44-31.

6th race in Barcelona: Alonso delights his home fans with victory from pole position, easily holding off the challenge of second-placed Schumacher to register his first Spanish GP win. Alonso leads 54-39.

7th race at Monte Carlo: Schumacher initially takes the all- important Monaco GP but is ordered to the end of the grid by race stewards for deliberately blocking Alonso and others in the final lap of qualifying. Alonso goes on to win from pole while Schumacher finishes fifth to trail 64-43.

8th race at Silverstone: Alonso gets his third straight race win from his fourth pole in a row, leaving no chance whatsoever for second-placed Schumacher in the British GP. Alonso leads 74-51.

9th race in Montreal: Alonso once again leaves the Ferrari driver in his wake as he takes the Canadian GP and with it claims a new points record at the halfway mark of the Formula One season. Alonso leads 84-59.

10th race in Indianapolis: Schumacher leads Felipe Massa in the second straight Ferrari one-two at the United States GP as Alonso fails to make the podium for the first time in 11 months, having to settle for fifth place. Alonso leads 88-69.

11th race in Magny-Cours: Schumacher wins the French GP for a historic eighth time from pole position while Alonso salvages a late second place in the home race of his Renault team by moving ahead of Massa due to a different pit stop strategy. Alonso leads 96-79.

12th race in Hockenheim: Schumacher wins his home German GP in commanding style, his third race victory in a row, with Alonso far off the pace in fifth place. The gap is cut to 11 points with Alonso leading 100-89.

13th race in Budapest: Alonso and Schumacher start from 14th and 11th place, respectively, after incurring two-second penalties ahead of qualifying for overtaking during a no-overtaking phase. Jenson Button goes on to take victory in the Hungarian GP. Alonso retires in the 52nd lap with a driveshaft problem and Schumacher is forced to retire three laps from the end with tyre problems while lying third. Alonso leads 100-89.

14th race in Istanbul: Ferrari's Massa wins a thrilling Turkish GP but team-mate Schumacher has to be content with third place behind Alonso, who now leads 108-96.

15th race at Monza: Schumacher wins Italian GP to close the gap on Alonso by 10 to just two points after the Spaniard comes out empty- handed when his Renault engine blows up with 10 laps remaining. Seven-time world champion Schumacher confirms that he is to retire from Formula One at the end of the season. Alonso leads 108-106.

16th race in Shanghai: Schumacher wins his first-ever Chinese Grand Prix ahead of the two Renaults of Alonso and Fisichella. The victory sees the German overtake Alonso in the championship standings with two races to go. Both have 116 points, but Schumacher has one race victory more in the season and is positioned ahead of Alonso as a result.

17th race in Suzuka: Alonso takes a giant step towards successfully defending his title by winning the Japanese GP as Schumacher, who was leading for most of the race, fails to finish when his Ferrari's engine blows up on lap 37. Alonso leads 126-116.

18th race in Sao Paolo: Schumacher starts from 10th on the grid in his final F1 race and his chances are dealt a fatal blow when he suffers an early puncture. Alonso remains cool, driving a conservative race to finish second behind Massa to secure the drivers' title for himself and the constructor's title for Renault. Alonso finishes on 134 points with Schumacher on 121.