Schumi Breaks Off All Barriers Yet Again

Ferrari's Michael Schumacher snatched the most awaited thrilling victory in the Chinese Grand Prix held in Shanghai, to take the world championship lead with just two races of the season remaining.

Michael Schumacher gambled on his tyres and won the Chinese Grand Prix in one of the finest performances of his illustrious career as the seven-time world champion moved to the top of the drivers' standings for the first time this season.

The win came as a result of Schumacher's decision not to change his intermediate tyres during his first pit stop, running for 40 of the 56 laps on the same set before changing to dry weather tyres for the run home.

"It was a gamble to stay on the tyres because it's very difficult to see what state the tyres were in," said Schumacher, who won his 91st grand prix."

"We decided to stay on the same tyres and they were perfectly fine. We chose the right moment to change them because it was too dry for them."

The 37-year old German, who trailed Alonso by 22 seconds after just nine laps, has an unprecedented eighth world title in his sights, a situation that was unthinkable halfway through the season.

The seven-time world champion pulled level with Renault's Fernando Alonso on points, 116-116, but is ahead 7-6 on race victories.

Now that Alonso and Schumi, both share the exact points, it isn’t proving to be as tough as it should be to determine the next world champion. Schumacher of course is the genuine and emotionally preferred choice worldwide, especially due to Schumacher’s retirement plans and the outburst of Alonso into an Italian Radio channel against Schumacher.

With just two races remaining, Schumacher edging closer than ever to a record eighth title with a performance in difficult conditions that showed his genius shone as brightly as ever despite his decision to retire at the end of the season.

Later, a grinning Schumacher said: "It is quite miraculous that we are here back in front after where we were a few months ago, but it is thanks to great work from everybody in the team that we have managed it.”
"Now we go into the last two races to see what happens and I believe we will have to go the last one before a decision is reached. It is going to be an interesting couple of weeks and I am looking forward to it very much."

On a loosing note, the much arrogant Alonso had to admit that Schumi deserved to win.

According to the race statistics Alonso had made the ideal start as he stormed into the lead after the first lap. Button, who started in third was battling with Kimi Raikkonen while the rest of the leading group held their positions.

By the fourth lap Alonso was 13 seconds ahead of Schumacher, who was back in sixth as the Shanghai track started to dry out.

Michael Schumacher was picking up the pace and by lap 20 had moved up to third, having shaved valuable seconds off Alonso's lead.
Alonso spent 18 seconds in the pits on lap 35 and by 38 he was 54 seconds behind his team-mate.

Schumacher entered the pits for the first time on lap 40 to pick up his slicks but he was soon out to move into the usual first place.

But by then, Alonso was back on form and five laps later he was the fastest driver on the track.

The rain hammered down in the final stages and though Alonso moved into second place with a few laps remaining, he just couldn't manage to pip Schumacher.

Alonso's bid to win the race was effectively ended by crucial errors in his pit stops, having first been left with little grips that left him chasing a huge gap, though he finished strongly to take second.

His team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella finished third while Jenson Button took fourth place and Pedro de la Rosa ended in fifth place. Honda's Rubens Barrichello and BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld took sixth and seventh while Williams' Mark Webber took the final point in eighth place.

Schumacher gambling, to continue with the tyres actually paid him to save the time spent on pit and the time needed to outcast Renault’s Alonso who actually spent a lot in the pit.

Schumacher who has not led the standings since 2004, when he took his seventh title, but he has tasted victory in Japan and Brazil before and could easily win both again.

The thing which might give a sceptical conception from this race is McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, Schumacher's successor at Ferrari next season, retired with a throttle problem seven laps after he had overtaken Fisichella for second place on lap 13.

Schumacher has now won five of the last seven races and the victory was his first in three attempts at the Shanghai International Circuit, where he had failed to win any points.

"It's been quite an exciting and extreme weekend," said the winning guy.