Schu needs one point
From correspondents in Indianapolis
September 29, 2003
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER won the United States Grand Prix today, withstanding rain showers and his rivals to virtually guarantee an unprecedented sixth Formula One world championship.
The 34-year-old German captured his sixth victory of the season despite starting seventh on the grid, falling back in light drizzle and riding superior rain tyres to one of the greatest victories of his career.
"It's one of my best days in my life," said Schumacher. "It's such an important moment, such an unusual race, so many possibilities to happen, and to win such a race at a crucial moment, it just adds up."
Pole-sitter Kimi Raikkonen's runner-up effort denied the Ferrari driver his fourth successive title, although the Finnish racer now has only a longshot hope.
Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who started the day just three points behind the German, saw his championship hopes crushed as he could only finish in sixth place after a miserable afternoon which saw him pick up a ten-second drive through penalty for a collision which took Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello out of the race.
Schumacher now has 92 points to 83 for Raikkonen, whose only chance to beat the German is to guide his McLaren-Mercedes to victory on October 12 in the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix while Schumacher finishes ninth or worse.
"It's a very good position for us to start the last race. We just need one point basically," Schumacher said.
"You have first to finish to be first. That will be the main target. We have a reliable car. My target will be to win another race."
The result left Schumacher pumping his fist and jumping for joy on the podium, knowing his title was all-but secured with his 70th career triumph.
"A great and important one and mostly an important outcome for the championship," said Schumacher. "I'm so pleased. It's such an emotional day.
"The pressure is on. You handle it but it's still there. When you have a result like this it's beautiful. There was everything in it. To win this one in a crucial stage of the championship meant a lot."
Argentina's Juan Manuel Fangio won five F1 titles in the 1950s. Schumacher matched that record last year with his third crown in a row, having also won the championship in 1994 and 1995.
Schumacher kept his grip on the title in the 73-lap showdown over a 4.192km course because his tyres gripped as others skidded off course.
He refueled on lap 20, went back into the pits for Bridgestone rain tyres two laps later once the downpour began, and recovered to win in 1hr 14 mins 35.6sec for an 18.2sec victory over Raikkonen.
"Bridgestone has had a lot of criticism this year. I would say they will be boosted by the performance," said Schumcher. "We've had this joker so much in our hand and we've never been able to use it until today."
Schumacher passed Raikkonen for third place on lap 27, Ferrari's tyres proving superior to Raikkonen's Michelins on a rain-slickened track.
"We lost the race because we were very unlucky with the rain," said Raikkonen. "What can I do? I was fighting the whole way.
"The weather was in his favor this time. Our rain tyres are not as good as Bridgestones and we lost the race pretty much the second it started raining."
Schumacher overtook compatriot Heinz-Harald Frentzen on lap 32 and passed Britain's Jenson Button five laps later to claim the lead.
But it was a far cry from Ferrari's early struggles in light drizzle.
"We had difficulties in those conditions. It was easier for our competitors to pass," Schumacher said.
"But when more rain came we were able to recover.
"I thought it would have been tough to catch Kimi under normal circumstances." Montoya, second in the title chase when the day began, collided with Barrichello on the third turn of the second lap and took a 10-second penalty that doomed his title bid.
"A very disappointing race decided by the penalty I was given for the accident by Rubens and I had to pay it," said Montoya.
"It started to rain hard just when I was given my drive-through penalty, which forced me to delay by one lap my change onto wet tyres."
Montoya settled for sixth and ranks third in the points race at 82. But a win for the BMW Williams ace in two weeks at Suzuka could only match Schumacher, who would claim the crown by virtue of more victories this season.
"It's sad to lose my championship chances in this way," said Montoya.
Even as Schumacher raced untested for the checkered flag, Montoya and Raikkonen worked to improve their positions enough to sustain the title fight.
Raikkonen passed Frentzen on the main straightaway with 19 laps remaining to grab second place, the minimum he needed to deny Schumacher a title clinch and keep alive his slim hopes of becoming F1's youngest-ever champion at age 23.
"It's making it a lot more difficult," said Raikkonen. "But we have a chance in the final one and it all can happen. There's always a chance. You never know what can happen in the next race."
Details:
1. Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari 1hr 33:35.997
2. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) McLaren-Mercedes at 18.258
3. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (GER) Sauber-Petronas 37.964,
.4. Jarno Trulli (ITA) Renault 48.329,
5. Nick Heidfeld (GER) Sauber-Petronas 56.403,
6. Juan Pablo Montoya (COL) Williams-BMW one lap,
7. Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) Jordan one lap,
8. Justin Wilson (GBR) Jaguar-Cosworth two laps,
9. Cristiano Da Matta (BRA) Toyota two laps
10. Jos Verstappen (NED) Minardi four laps
11. Nicolas Kiesa (DEN) Minardi four laps
Overall standings
Drivers
1. Michael Schumacher (GER) 92pts, 2. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) 83, 3. Juan Pablo Montoya (COL) 82, 4. Ralf Schumacher (GER) 58, 5. Rubens Barrichello (BRA) 55, 6. Fernando Alonso (ESP) 55, 7. David Coulthard (GBR) 45, 8. Jarno Trulli (ITA) 29, 9. Mark Webber (AUS) 17, 10. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (GER) 13, 11. Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA) 12, 12. Jenson Button (GBR) 12, 13. Cristiano Da Matta (BRA) 8, 14. Nick Heidfeld (GER) 6, 15. Olivier Panis (FRA) 6, 16. Jacques Villeneuve (CAN) 6, 17. Marc Gene (ESP) 4, 18. Ralph Firman (GBR) 1, 19. Justin Wilson (GBR) 1
Constructors
1. Ferrari 147pts, 2. Williams-BMW 144, 3. McLaren-Mercedes 128, 4. Renault 84, 5. Sauber-Petronas 19, 6. BAR-Honda 18, 7. Jaguar-Cosworth 18, 8. Toyota 14, 9. Jordan 13
Schumacher wins again
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Donny
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Fangio stands alone: Schu
From corresponents in Suzuka
October 13, 2003
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER won a record sixth Formula One Grand Prix title at Suzuka, but said he does not want to be compared with Argentine great Juan Manuel Fangio.
The German clinched the championship after Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello won the decisive Japanese Grand Prix, but Schumacher distanced himself from the achievement of Fangio, who won five titles in the 1950s.
"I am not trying to compare myself to Fangio. You cannot compare someone like Fangio with the present day," said Schumacher, who battled to an eighth-place finish at Suzuka after collisions with Takuma Sato and younger brother Ralf.
"Fangio is on a level much higher than I see myself. There is absolutely no comparison. What he did stands alone and what we have achieved is also unique. I have such respect for what he achieved."
Schumacher said his sixth championship had been the most difficult by far and paid tribute to the Ferrari team, who collected an unprecedented fifth constructors' title in a row.
"We lose the nose of the car after a bit of stupidity on my part and I suddenly come in and they are ready for me, even though they were not expecting something like that," said the 34-year-old, who bumped Sato from behind on lap seven.
"That is extremely professional...to put me in the position to be able to go back out and have a chance in the race. It was so nerve-racking but the team was incredible again."
Schumacher was shunted by Ralf later in the race, while Finnish rival Kimi Raikkonen was pushing for the victory that would have given him the title had the German failed to score a point. Raikkonen finished second.
"It was a chaotic race. When you go into the pits and come out last of course you have some worries going through your head," said Schumacher.
"When Ralf hit me from behind, I didn't know really what caused it. It was very tight and as long as nothing bad happens it's no problem.
"I predicted that it would not be easy to win the title. Rain or some technical problem, and Kimi could have come first."
But after securing his place among the pantheon of motor racing greats, Schumacher again denied that he was about to retire.
"There is no reason to stop, especially when I am still good at racing and still competitive," he said.
"It was an exhausting season but why not let me enjoy it?"
From corresponents in Suzuka
October 13, 2003
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER won a record sixth Formula One Grand Prix title at Suzuka, but said he does not want to be compared with Argentine great Juan Manuel Fangio.
The German clinched the championship after Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello won the decisive Japanese Grand Prix, but Schumacher distanced himself from the achievement of Fangio, who won five titles in the 1950s.
"I am not trying to compare myself to Fangio. You cannot compare someone like Fangio with the present day," said Schumacher, who battled to an eighth-place finish at Suzuka after collisions with Takuma Sato and younger brother Ralf.
"Fangio is on a level much higher than I see myself. There is absolutely no comparison. What he did stands alone and what we have achieved is also unique. I have such respect for what he achieved."
Schumacher said his sixth championship had been the most difficult by far and paid tribute to the Ferrari team, who collected an unprecedented fifth constructors' title in a row.
"We lose the nose of the car after a bit of stupidity on my part and I suddenly come in and they are ready for me, even though they were not expecting something like that," said the 34-year-old, who bumped Sato from behind on lap seven.
"That is extremely professional...to put me in the position to be able to go back out and have a chance in the race. It was so nerve-racking but the team was incredible again."
Schumacher was shunted by Ralf later in the race, while Finnish rival Kimi Raikkonen was pushing for the victory that would have given him the title had the German failed to score a point. Raikkonen finished second.
"It was a chaotic race. When you go into the pits and come out last of course you have some worries going through your head," said Schumacher.
"When Ralf hit me from behind, I didn't know really what caused it. It was very tight and as long as nothing bad happens it's no problem.
"I predicted that it would not be easy to win the title. Rain or some technical problem, and Kimi could have come first."
But after securing his place among the pantheon of motor racing greats, Schumacher again denied that he was about to retire.
"There is no reason to stop, especially when I am still good at racing and still competitive," he said.
"It was an exhausting season but why not let me enjoy it?"
Donny.
It's a game. Enjoy it.
It's a game. Enjoy it.
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