A jubilant Michael Schumacher took the checkered flag at the Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai today, ahead of a disappointed Fernando Alonso who came in second, with Renault teammate Giancarlo Fisichella rounding out the podium in third. The two points Schumacher scored over Alonso brought the driver's championship to a tie.
Schumacher started the race in fifth sixth place after a disappointing qualifying session for Ferrari, while the Renault drivers took the front row. Schumacher once again earned his title of "King of the Rain" as he overcame the wet conditions to drive on to his 91st career victory. The exciting race was full of passes, crashes, spins and early retirements as the wet track gradually dried over the course of the race before the rain started again five laps before the finish.
With two races left to go in the season, the championship is in a dead heat as a retiring Schumacher strives to secure his record eighth world title over reigning champ Alonso. This season has been shaping up as the most exciting in recent F1 history; don't miss the final two rounds in Japan next week and Brazil on October 22.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
risingsun @ Oct 1st 2006 4:37AM
Schumacher's pass was nuts. Great race.
chewy @ Oct 1st 2006 5:05AM
Amazing race, just amazing. It truly showed how great of a racer Michael Schumacher really is. And a grand total of ZERO points separating MS and FA heading into 2 final races is basically a perfect scenario for a fan (I guess if there is a 0 point difference heading into the last race it could be even more dramatic, but this is still a historic season, plus a historic race as well)
Tired_Watcher @ Oct 1st 2006 6:23AM
Rain is good. We need more of it.
Too bad Kubica was the first victim to try dry tires. He almost pulled a nice drift in the run off sections!
Man Alonso did not look happy...of course when your 25 point lead is now GONE...I wouldn't be happy too.
And what was up with Sato on that last lap into Turn 14? Something has to be done because he screwed A LOT of people over. The Spyker in front of him was smart enough to use the run off area to get out of the way and what does Sato do? HE BLOCKS! The only person to drive that Aguri chassis is Montagny! He was able to put that car 8th in practice.
Anyway awesome race! These last two races are going to be TENSE! Can't wait for it!
Stephen Waits @ Oct 1st 2006 8:33AM
Hey Nice SPOILER you freaking unprofessional aholes! Geez.. right in the title.
Redwood @ Oct 1st 2006 9:29AM
No kidding on the spoiler. It hasn't even come on Speed channel yet today! Jerks!
Mark MacLeod @ Oct 1st 2006 2:20PM
Michael Schumacher actually started 6th, not 5th as stated in your post.
Ben @ Oct 1st 2006 3:14PM
Redwood,
It was on Speed at 1:30am eastern this morning.
Rishi Khaitan @ Oct 1st 2006 5:12PM
Absolutely agree on the spoiler comment. The original broadcast of the race was at 2AM EST so I'm sure many fans were planning on watching the re-broadcast today. But thanks to the spoiler in the title of the post, much of the drama was killed. Noah, next time please be mindful of what you include in the title if you are going to post so shortly after the finish of the event.
Alex Nunez @ Oct 1st 2006 5:29PM
The "spoiler" comments are a bit much. Just about every media outlet covering the race has the result in the title. Come on, guys.
Rishi Khaitan @ Oct 1st 2006 5:52PM
Alex,
Autoblog does not normally cover F1 (or any other motorsport league) race results. I was specifically avoiding all media sources and web sites that would have race coverage. Unfortunately, this Autoblog headline popped up in my RSS reader. If Autoblog did regularly cover race results, I would have specifically avoided looking at my RSS reader as well.
Julie The Crybaby @ Oct 1st 2006 5:58PM
This spoiler has absofreekinglutely ruined my sunufabitching day. When I read the title of this goshdamn post I picked up my dam chair and thru it at the wall because now the stupidmuthafuckin race has been ruined for me and I will have to go watch Trading Spaces re-runs instead. Thanks a lot spoiler azzholes on this website I am never coming hear again. Waaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Stephen Waits @ Oct 1st 2006 11:11PM
Apologize Autoblog!!!
Brad @ Oct 2nd 2006 1:44AM
Agreed on the spoiler bit. The last time I remember Autoblog mentioning an F1 race, it was on Tuesday and you couldn't read the results until the jump.
Please be more careful next time.
Jet Wake @ Oct 2nd 2006 2:12AM
What a bunch of cry babies...grow a set and try driving for 24 hours or drive a WRC car and become enlightened.
Phil @ Oct 2nd 2006 2:13AM
Doesn't take much to put a "SPOILER" in the headline and save details for after the jump, and Autoblog has done it before, so it was a bit annoying. Ar well, least Webber got in the points.
Meckser @ Oct 2nd 2006 7:26AM
Please stop wreckign wonderful races with spoilers, there is no need to post the win in the headline or in the photo. This was a great race, and knowing the outcome before hand wrecks much of the excitement.
Steve C. @ Oct 2nd 2006 7:55AM
In a day and time when there are satellite and cable channels that broadcast every pro hockey, football, basketball and baseball game, and multiple in-car channels of NASCAR races, F1 is dead.
If anyone really cared, every F1 race would be broadcast live.
MikeInNC @ Oct 2nd 2006 8:51AM
They could put 600 cameras inside the rolling low tech bricks they call NASCAR's but it still won't make it good racing. It's the Pro Wrestling of motorsports. At least F1 makes an attempt to develop a car. What does NASCAR offer the world outside of how to crush a beer can on your head and eat a whole fried chicken without wiping your hands? I've been to the track and watched that happen. Any series where they replace the driver if the track turns in both directions is one that is almost completely devoid of talent.
Chris @ Oct 2nd 2006 9:07AM
Could this turn out to be a TIE!!!! That is my prediction for the year end. Alfonso wins one and Shumi wins one and we have a tie. How much will that suck, yeah!!! your bother winners, or loosers" however you wish to put it.
I have to believe that Alonso is not exactly gettting a lot of love from his crew.
ddemet @ Oct 2nd 2006 9:23AM
The championship is NOT in a tie, when two drivers have the same amount of points it is the number of wins during the season that determines who is first (in this case Schumi).
As for F1 being dead, maybe if you only watch cars that only turn left. As for the rest of the world, F1 rules! BTW if anybody is interested the F1 official website has live timing with commentary during each race.