Schumi holds off Alonso for Imola glory

Michael Schumacher ended one of the leanest spells of his Formula 1 career with a masterful drive to victory in the San Marino Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion out-duelled defending title holder Fernando Alonso in a precise role reversal of last year’s Imola race. On that occasion Alonso had to soak up immense pressure as Schumacher caught him hand over fist and then harried him relentlessly over the closing laps.

OneShift Editorial Team

24 Apr 2006

This time Alonso charged from fifth on the grid into the wheel tracks of the leading Ferrari, trying valiantly but without success to find a way past.

It capped a dream weekend for Schumacher, who broke Ayrton Senna’s long-standing pole record on Saturday before chalking up his 85th win a stone’s throw from the Ferrari factory at Maranello.

Alonso, meanwhile, was left to ponder what might have been after a change of tactics that moved him into pit sequence with Schumacher at a time when he looked poised to inherit the lead failed to pay off.

Schumacher got away cleanly from pole ahead of fellow front-row man Jenson Button, while Felipe Massa and Alonso both moved up at the expense of a slow-starting Rubens Barrichello.

San Marino Grand Prix result - 62 laps

1. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1h31m06.486s

2. ALONSO Renault +2.1s

3. MONTOYA McLaren +15.9s

4. MASSA Ferrari +17.1s

5. RAIKKONEN McLaren +17.5s

6. WEBBER Williams +37.7s

7. BUTTON Honda +39.6s

8. FISICHELLA Renault +40.2s

9. R.SCHUMACHER Toyota +45.5s

10. BARRICHELLO Honda +1m17.9s

11. ROSBERG Williams +1m19.7s

12. VILLENEUVE BMW Sauber +1m22.4s

13. HEIDFELD BMW Sauber +1 lap

14. LIUZZI Toro Rosso +1 lap

15. SPEED Toro Rosso +1 lap

16. MONTEIRO MF1 +2 laps

R. COULTHARD Red Bull +15 laps

R. SATO Super Aguri +18 laps

R. KLIEN Red Bull +22 laps

R. TRULLI Toyota +39 laps

R. ALBERS MF1 +56 laps

R. IDE Super Aguri +62 laps

Fastest lap: ALONSO 1m24.569s