By Elmar Dreher May 7, 2006, 21:02 GMT
Nuerburg, Germany - Michael Schumacher beat world champion Fernando Alonso again, at the European Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday, in a classy display of Ferrari speed and team tactics.
German Formula One driver Michael Schumacher (L) and Brazilian Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Scuderia Ferrari celebrate on the podium after the European Grand Prix at the Nuerburgring circuit, near Nuerburg Germany, Sunday 07 May 2006 EPA/Jens Buettner
Schumacher was able to stay out on the track three laps longer than the leading pole-position holder Alonso before the second pit stop.
Schumacher posted three superfast times, including the fastest race lap overall, and then came out of the pit lane ahead of the Renault driver Alonso after the 40th lap refuelling stop in front of a delirious home crowd.
The team tactics helped Schumacher to a second season win following his success two weeks ago in Imola, Italy, the fifth at the Nuerburgring and the 86th overall ahead of Alonso and Felipe Massa, who got his first career podium finish in the second Ferrari.
'In the end of the day it was just superb. I felt that we had a good strategy and race pace. It worked out,' said Schumacher.
Alonso said: 'The three laps were just too much. There was no traffic (which could have slowed Schumacher down). We were down compared to Ferrari this weekend.'
Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn spoke of 'a perfect race' as the victory and third place confirmed that the Ferrari is competitive again after a poor 2005 season and a slow start into the current campaign.
But Alonso still holds a big lead in the championship standings with 44 points from two wins and three second-place finishes. Schumacher made up two points for now 31, with McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen third on 23 points from five of 18 season races.
'Everything is ok to get eight points. And we should win again (in the next races),' said Alonso.
Schumacher admitted he faces an uphill battle if he wants to catch Alonso, saying: 'It's another two points, but unfortunately only two points.
Alonso easily won the start from the pole position and Schumacher actually had a hard time to secure second place from charging team-mate Felipe Massa.
The safety car came out for the third lap after Vitantonio Liuzzi spun his Toro Rosso into the middle of the track due to a flat tyre, but Alonso was also not troubled in the restart.
Alonso made his first pit stop in the 17th lap and Schumacher refuelled one lap later which gave Ferrari no advantage.
'I thought we could do it in the first stop,' said Schumacher, but the change did not come until the second stop, when the German made full use of the three additional laps to claim victory.
Alonso may have hoped for a similar surprise as in 2005, when he won the race after Raikkonen had to retire in leading position in the final lap with a tyre problem, but that never materialised.
Schumacher took the chequered flag after 1 hour 35 minutes 58.765 seconds.
Raikkonen came fourth despite late pressure on Massa, Rubens Barrichello was fifth in a Honda, Giancarlo Fisichella placed sixth in the second Renault, German Nico Rosberg climbed from 22nd and last place on the grid to seventh and his BMW-Sauber team-mate Jacques Villeneuve got the final championship point in eighth place.
The Formula One continues next Sunday with Alonso's home race, the Spanish GP in Barcelona, and Alonso already made sure that he will have top equipment.
'We turned the revs down (in the final laps), we have to race with the engine again in Barcelona,' he said.
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