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Schumacher scores record 12th win

August 15, 2004 19:39 IST
Last Updated: August 15, 2004 20:47 IST


Michael Schumacher cruised to a record 12th win of the season in the Hungarian Grand Prix to hand his Ferrari team a sixth successive constructors' title.

Six-times world champion Schumacher was once again untouchable as he led home a seventh Ferrari one-two of the season from team mate Rubens Barrichello to secure the team's crown with five races remaining.

"It is just so perfect. It's outstanding," said Schumacher, who was joined in the champagne podium celebrations on Sunday by team principal Jean Todt.

"To win in the style we have is just so great. Even after a superb start to the season everyone still kept going."

It was the 82nd win of Schumacher's career and set a new record number of wins by a driver in a single Formula One season as the German moved closer to a seventh world title.

Not even the worry of a faulty fuel hose, which Ferrari mechanics worked on fixing before his second pitstop, could halt Schumacher's cruise to another record of seven straight wins.

"The easy part started after the last pitstop when I had a safe margin. I was driving safely then, but before then I was pushing and driving to the limit," Schumacher added.

Schumacher has won 12 of the 13 grands prix this season. He now has a 38-point lead over Barrichello in the drivers' standings and could wrap up the title in Belgium in two weeks.

UNASSAILABLE LEAD

Schumacher, starting from pole, got away cleanly and, with Barrichello protecting him from the initial advances of Renault's Fernando Alonso, the German sped into the distance, lapping up to sixth-placed Takuma Sato, of BAR.

He finished 4.6 seconds ahead of Barrichello to the proud message "World Number 1" displayed on Ferrari's pit-board.

The 18-point haul moved Ferrari into an unassailable 111-point lead over second-placed Renault in the constructors' championship with only 90 points now available.

Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya was fourth ahead of BAR's Jenson Button and Takuma Sato, to move the British team one point closer to second-place Renault in the championship. BAR have 83 points to Renault's 91.

Antonio Pizzonia finished seventh for the second race in succession as he deputises for the injured Ralf Schumacher at Williams. Sauber's Giancarlo Fisichella claimed the final point in eighth.

McLaren's miserable season continued with the retirement of Kimi Raikkonen at the end of lap 14. It was the seventh retirement of the season for the Finn, who finished as runner-up to Schumacher in last year's world championship.

The next round is in Belgium on August 29.

Provisional result of Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix:

1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1:35.26.131

2. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 1:35.30.827

3. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault 1:36.10.730

4. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams 1:36.28.744

5. Jenson Button (Britain) BAR 1:36.33.570

6. Takuma Sato (Japan) BAR 1 lap behind

7. Antonio Pizzonia (Brazil) Williams 1 lap

8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Sauber 1 lap

9. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1 lap

10. Mark Webber (Australia) Jaguar 1 lap

11. Olivier Panis (France) Toyota 1 lap

12. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Jordan 2 laps

13. Christian Klien (Austria) Jaguar 2 laps

14. Gianmaria Bruni (Italy) Minardi 4 laps

15. Zsolt Baumgartner (Hungary) Minardi 5 laps

Not classified (did not finish):

Giorgio Pantano (Italy) Jordan 48 laps completed

Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault 41

Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) Toyota 31

Felipe Massa (Brazil) Sauber 21

Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 13



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