Schumacher wins at Nurburgring

30 November -0001

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European GP Result

Michael Schumacher took the chequered flag at Nurburgring, after a tense and intriquing battle with Reanaults Fernado Alonso.

The German's Ferrari starting from second on the grid behind Alonso's Renault kept up close during the early laps but Alsono had no intentions of giving him the chance to pass.

Schumachers chance came during the final pitstops, Alonso stopped three laps proir but Schumacher last stop saw him produce a quick and slick stop enabling him to come out ahead of Alonso.

This condemned Renault to second while Ferrari's Felipe Massa grabbed third place. while Jenson Button's Honda retired with engine failure after a low-key race.

Button's car stopped with 31 laps to go having never been a threat to the front-runners.

The Englishman made up two places from his sixth-place grid position on the first lap.

Right from the offset Schumacher and Ferrari seemed to be quicker than the Renault even through qualifying, believing Alonso had snatched pole by running with a light fuel load, this proved to be so when Alonso made his first stop as early as lap 17.

Although the Renault managed to fend off Schumacher it could not shake off the Ferrari and Schumacher was able to make his extra speed count coming out of the pits with an advantage over Alonso, who then had the additional worry of the other Ferrari driven by Massa pushing him from behind..

Raikkonen's McLaren finishing strongly finnishing fourth in its most competitive showing of the season.

Schumacher said of his victory - it is no suprise that this was a difficult race as we were driving competitively, it was hard driving behind Alonso in his slipstream and the wind was tricky.

Barrichello, finnished in fifth while his team mate Button retired with an engine failure, Alonso's Renault team-mate Fisichella took the sixth spot after an intriguing battle with Ralph Schumacher Rosberg took the seventh place for Williams and Jacques Villeneuve the final points position..

Seventh place went to the impressive rookie Nico Rosberg, who fought through from the back of the grid in his Williams, and spent the last few laps shadowing Barrichello and Fisichella.

Villeneuve took the final points position in eighth place.

For the first time this year Schumacher and Ferrari have two consecutive victories - both in a straight fight with world champion Alonso, now Ferrari appear to have the quickest package in F1.

European Grand Prix result:

1. Michael Schumacher Ferrari 60 laps one hour 35 minutes 58.765 seconds
2. Fernando Alonso Renault +3.751 seconds
3. Felipe Massa Ferrari +4.447secs
4. Kimi Raikkonen McLaren-Mercedes +4.879
5. Rubens Barrichello Honda +1:12.586
6. Giancarlo Fisichella Renault +1:14.116
7. Nico Rosberg Williams-Cosworth +1:14.565
8. Jacques Villeneuve BMW Sauber +1:29.364

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