Schumacher wins again
Michael Schumacher believes he can still make a race of it and catch F1 champion Fernando Alonso.
Schumacher won the French Grand Prix at Magny Cours, France, for a record eighth time Sunday in a boost for resurgent Ferrari, finishing 10 seconds ahead of the world champion Alonso.
The victory helps Schumacher close the gap on Alonso in the standings with seven races left. Alonso has 96 points and Schumacher has 79.
“The championship is far from over, and these two points we have made up on our main rivals are very important,” Schumacher said. “I hope we can make up more ground.”
Alonso, who took the F1 crown from Schumacher, said his second-place finish was enough.
“Given where I started on the grid, I think second is everything I could have hoped for because we knew that Michael was a bit quicker this weekend,” Alonso said.
Schumacher got away cleanly at the start and Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa did his best to stay ahead of Alonso.
Although Alonso made three attempts to pass, Massa held on and finished second.
“We had a great start, being first and second,” Schumacher said. “It was an excellent situation to start the race.”
The first indication of race strategy in the 70-lap race came at the end of the 16th when Massa pitted first, followed a lap later by Alonso, then by Schumacher on the 18th.
By 23 laps Schumacher was still ahead but with a bit of breathing room. He was 6.1 seconds ahead of Massa and 11 ahead of Alonso.
The second stint stretched things out even more.
After 50 laps, Schumacher was up by 20 over Massa and 30 ahead of Alonso. However, Alonso went in after 42, meaning he would be able to finish the race without another stop.
“We figured the Ferraris were on a three stop,” Alonso said. “We took a gamble and we believed in our consistency.”
History made in Top Fuel
J.R. Todd became the first black driver to win an NHRA Top Fuel event, beating Tony Schumacher in the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals at Morrison, Colo.
Todd, driving in his ninth career event, never trailed in the final at Bandimere Speedway, dismissing the three-time series champion with a 4.906-second run at 291.63 mph. Schumacher finished in 4.966 seconds at 306.33 mph.
“You never expect to get your first NHRA win by outrunning Tony Schumacher in the final,” Todd said. “I didn’t even know how to act down there. I was stunned. To beat that team straight up is unbelievable.
“They were talking about me being the first African-American to win in Top Fuel, but out here it’s all equal, especially when the helmet goes on.”
Gary Scelzi raced to his first Funny Car win of the season in the $1.5 million event, while Dave Connolly topped the Pro Stock field and Andrew Hines won the Pro Stock Motorcycle competition.