With just two points separating Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso in the championship, the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix was an important one for the seven-time world champion.
The German put in a stunning performance at the Shanghai International Circuit, scoring his 91st victory and drawing level with his title rival in the drivers' standings.
The race took place just a few weeks after Schumacher announced his retirement from F1 at the end of the 2006 season. Of course, he returned in 2010, but at the time he was working hard to end the year on a positive note.
Chasing title number eight and his second consecutive victory, Schumacher could only manage sixth place in qualifying. Despite being known as the Regenmeister, Bridgestone-shod cars were at a serious disadvantage in the wet conditions, and the rain showers on Saturday meant it was an all-Renault front row, with Alonso on pole position from his team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella.
A damp track greeted drivers on Sunday morning, with Alonso and Fisichella quickly establishing a comfortable lead at the front of the field. However, the sun appeared in Shanghai and the circuit gradually dried out, with Schumacher quickly moving ahead of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.
He was still 23.5 seconds behind Alonso ahead of the first round of pit stops, but the Spaniard opted to change his front tyres for new intermediates, rather than leave them on to wear down to being almost slicks. It was a costly error, with Fisichella breezing past him and taking the lead.
The track conditions had switched and were now in favour of Schumacher, and he was able to follow Fisichella through one lap later. He switched to dry tyres on lap 40 and refuelled, with Renault reacting on the following tour. With the Michelin tyres typically taking longer to warm up, Schumacher took advantage and stormed ahead of the Italian driver at Turn 1 after a small mistake in the tricky conditions.
After a slow pit stop due to a wheel nut issue, Alonso bounced back and passed his team-mate with nine laps remaining. However, he couldn’t catch the race leader, despite rain falling once again in the final stages. Schumacher crossed the line three seconds clear of the Spaniard, securing his 91st and final F1 victory.
Fisichella finished a distant third, with Button, Pedro de la Rosa, Barrichello, Nick Heidfeld and Mark Webber completing the top eight. Barrichello took the chequered flag without a front wing after colliding with Heidfeld at the sector three hairpin on the last lap.
Keep fighting, Michael.
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| © Scuderia Ferrari |
The race took place just a few weeks after Schumacher announced his retirement from F1 at the end of the 2006 season. Of course, he returned in 2010, but at the time he was working hard to end the year on a positive note.
Chasing title number eight and his second consecutive victory, Schumacher could only manage sixth place in qualifying. Despite being known as the Regenmeister, Bridgestone-shod cars were at a serious disadvantage in the wet conditions, and the rain showers on Saturday meant it was an all-Renault front row, with Alonso on pole position from his team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella.
 |
| © Scuderia Ferrari |
A damp track greeted drivers on Sunday morning, with Alonso and Fisichella quickly establishing a comfortable lead at the front of the field. However, the sun appeared in Shanghai and the circuit gradually dried out, with Schumacher quickly moving ahead of Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello.
He was still 23.5 seconds behind Alonso ahead of the first round of pit stops, but the Spaniard opted to change his front tyres for new intermediates, rather than leave them on to wear down to being almost slicks. It was a costly error, with Fisichella breezing past him and taking the lead.
The track conditions had switched and were now in favour of Schumacher, and he was able to follow Fisichella through one lap later. He switched to dry tyres on lap 40 and refuelled, with Renault reacting on the following tour. With the Michelin tyres typically taking longer to warm up, Schumacher took advantage and stormed ahead of the Italian driver at Turn 1 after a small mistake in the tricky conditions.
 |
| © Scuderia Ferrari |
After a slow pit stop due to a wheel nut issue, Alonso bounced back and passed his team-mate with nine laps remaining. However, he couldn’t catch the race leader, despite rain falling once again in the final stages. Schumacher crossed the line three seconds clear of the Spaniard, securing his 91st and final F1 victory.
Fisichella finished a distant third, with Button, Pedro de la Rosa, Barrichello, Nick Heidfeld and Mark Webber completing the top eight. Barrichello took the chequered flag without a front wing after colliding with Heidfeld at the sector three hairpin on the last lap.
Keep fighting, Michael.
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