Highlights

Schumacher revels in breakthrough

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-08-01 09:16

HOCKENHEIM, Germany, July 31 - Ferrari and Michael Schumacher have champions Renault on the run after surging to another crushing victory in Germany on Sunday.

Ferrari's Michael Schumacher of Germany celebrates after winning the German Formula One Grand Prix at the Hockenheim race track, July 30, 2006. Schumacher won the race ahead of Felipe Massa of Brazil and Kimi Raikkonen of Finland. [Reuters]

Schumacher's third win in a row, and his fifth of the season, marked a psychological breakthrough in the Formula One title battle.

Before Hockenheim, Schumacher's home grand prix, Renault's Fernando Alonso had only to finish second in every race to be sure of retaining his crown.

No longer. The Spaniard's lead has been trimmed from 17 to 11 points with six races remaining and his comfort zone has disappeared. Renault are just 10 points clear in the constructors' championship.

"He (Alonso) now is going have to beat us in at least one race to win the championship," Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn said after his team's second one-two finish in three races while Alonso limped home in fifth place.

"It is an important threshold for us, both mathematically and I think psychologically," he added. "I won't pretend it was a great race but it was a great result."

Schumacher, whose chances of a record eighth title had been written off by some, has the momentum and is again looking like the dominant force of 2004.

Relaxing with wife Corinna and friends in the Ferrari motorhome after the race, his obvious happiness was in sharp contrast to the body language at Renault.

Team boss Flavio Briatore made a swift exit after the race while engineering head Pat Symonds spoke to reporters only as he walked away, trailing his bag behind him.

DAMPER BAN

Tyres were the key, with the Renaults suffering severe blistering of their Michelins, but the talk was also of the 'mass dampers' banned by the governing body before Hockenheim.

Renault had challenged the ban, convincing stewards to declare them legal, but did not use the devices after the International Automobile Federation said it would appeal.

The simple spring-mounted dampers improve performance by levelling out tyre vibrations and keeping grip levels consistent.