Schumacher eases to triumph

By Andrew Benson
Motorsport editor at the Hungaroring

1 M Schumacher (Ferrari) 2 R Barrichello (Ferrari) 3 F Alonso (Renault) 4 JP Montoya (Williams) 5 J Button (BAR) 6 T Sato (BAR) 7 A Pizzonia (Williams) 8 G Fisichella (Sauber) Analysis: Ferrari's legacy Hungarian lapwatch Photo gallery

Michael Schumacher has clinched a record sixth consecutive constructors' title for Ferrari by heading a dominant one-two for the team at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

The German, who also set a new record for a driver of 12 wins in a season, beat Rubens Barrichello by 4.6 seconds.

Fernando Alonso was third ahead of Juan Pablo Montoya in a processional race.

Jenson Button took fifth, but David Coulthard struggled in his McLaren and ended up out of the points in ninth.

Button's team-mate Takuma Sato, the second Williams of Antonio Pizzonia and the Sauber of Giancarlo Fisichella took the final points scoring positions.

But everyone was a sideshow to the Ferraris, which had never looked like being beaten from the moment they qualified side-by-side on the front row of the grid.

"To win in the style we did shows why we have won the constructors' championship so early," Schumacher said.

"The car does perform well. It drove around this difficult circuit very well.

Hungary is a very difficult circuit on which to pass Michael Schumacher

"Everyone is just so great and they deserve this win - after a superb start to the season everyone has kept going.

"We have been able to turn around from last year to take a great result."

Team-mate Barrichello added: "I had a chance to keep my position even if I didn't have a chance to overtake."

Schumacher eased clear of Barrichello after making a trouble-free start from pole position and never lost the lead.

He made his first pit stop on lap 12, a lap later than the Brazilian, rejoining 6.1 seconds ahead of the second Ferrari, and continued to ease clear until backing off to conserve his car in the closing laps.

Barrichello had to fight off a brief challenge from Alonso on the opening lap after the Renault made its usual lightning getaway from his fifth place on the grid.

But after keeping Alonso at bay for the first three corners, Barrichello moved clear and his second place was never threatened again.

The two Ferraris were in a race of their own, but the expected battle between Renault, BAR and Williams for the final podium place never materialised.

Alonso was comfortably quicker than Montoya, who put in a strong drive in the revised Williams to keep the superior Renault chassis in sight.

We had just better sit down and pray that Michael retires sooner rather than later Jordan owner Eddie Jordan

The Colombian was also impressive in his ability to lap quicker than Button, who put his rival under no threat in a car that generally has been quicker than the Williams this season.

The Englishman was briefly under pressure from Jarno Trulli's Renault between the first and second pit stops before he, too, secured his position.

Trulli lost places at the second pit stops to Sato and Pizzonia, before dropping out of the race with engine failure with 27 laps to go, handing the final point to Fisichella, who is replacing him at Renault next season.

Jordan owner Eddie Jordan summed up Schumacher's dominance.

"We had just better sit down and pray that Michael retires sooner rather than later," he said.