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Schumacher Junior Wins At The Nurburgring

Ralf Schumacher won his first race of the season and the fifth of his career today in front of his home crowd at the Nurburgring. Rubens Barrichello improved on his fifth place on the grid to finish third. His Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher recovered from a spin in the latter stages of the race to finish fifth.

'From the point of view of the fans and the championship, it was a great afternoon as yet another driver won,' said Mike Copson of Shell Global Solutions. 'Despite not winning, consistency is the key we have here and we are still leading the Championship thanks to a good tally of points from Rubens and Michael today.'

Pessimistic talk of first corner accidents was thankfully groundless as the start of the race passed off without incident. That is not to say that the positions did not change however.

Michael Schumacher said yesterday, 'In some ways I would have been happier with third place because being second on the inside line, the track is a little dirtier there and I could lose out.' Prophetic words indeed as both lead men on that line lost a place at the start. Michael to his brother who leapt from third to second and Montoya who lost out to a great start from Rubens Barrichello in the other Ferrari.

The cars led Raikkonen, Ralf Schumacher, Michael Schumacher, Montoya, Barrichello, Trulli and Alonso until the first round of stops. Many teams had the same idea in terms of strategy and Ferrari brought Michael in early in an attempt to catapult him past his brother. On Lap 17, the action began. Raikkonen and Michael pitted together. The next lap saw Rubens in, whilst Ralf Schumacher stayed out. When the Williams eventually did stop on Lap 20, he had stayed ahead of his brother, but behind Raikkonen who still led.

The Finn's lead was not to last for long however, as on Lap 25 his McLaren came into the Dunlop hairpin billowing smoke. He pulled aside, his race was over and the Schumacher brothers headed the field at their home Grand Prix with Barrichello and Montoya behind.

By lap 33, the race had settled into a steady pace, a pace that was interrupted when Michael Schumacher became the first of the leaders to pit for more fuel and tyres. He was followed a lap later by Rubens Barrichello. The Williams cars now led, followed by the Renaults as everyone waited to see the teams' contrasting strategies. Trulli's retirement and Alonso's pit stop on lap 34 helped answer some of the questions, but the Williams still led.

Montoya made his stop on lap 39 and rejoined the track ahead of Barrichello, making up a place. A lap later, the race leader pitted and, having stopped for fresh tyres and fuel, joined ahead of his brother.

By lap 43, Montoya had caught Schumacher and on the run down into the Dunlop Hairpin, the Columbian made a move around the outside of the Ferrari. The two touched and Schumacher spun into the gravel. The Ferrari engine was still running however, and although the rear wheels were up in the air, the German was pushed back into sixth position by the marshals.

Despite Coulthard's best efforts, he could not pass Alonso for position and spun off at the chicane. Michael Schumacher moved up to fifth and Heidfeld inherited a point for his new eighth place.

Ralf Schumacher took his first win of the season and Montoya finished a good weekend for the team with a second place. Rubens Barrichello drove very well to claim third place from fifth on the grid. Alonso held fourth and Michael Schumacher recovered from his spin to claim what may be four valuable World Championship points. Webber, Button and Heidfeld rounded out the points.

As Formula One goes to Magny Cours, Michael Schumacher still leads the Formula One World Championship and Ferrari still leads the Constructors' Championship. The team cannot reflect on the lead for long however as the French race is less than a week away and there is work to be done.