THE EUROPEAN GP, Nurburgring - RESULT

[Jabba]

Ralf Schumacher was the big winner as title rivals Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen hit trouble in the European GP.

The Finn suffered an engine blow-up while leading comfortably while Schuey Sr blew a golden opportunity to pull out an 11-point championship lead when he spun under challenge from Juan Pablo Montoya.

The world champion was able to continue following a push from the marshals but the incident cost him second place and four points.

The result means that Ralf is now inching his way into title contention. After picking up 18 points in the last two races, he is now just 15 points off the lead.

The 1-2 for Williams - their first since Malaysia 2002 - means they overhaul McLaren to move up to second in the constructors’ championship.

But it was Schumacher’s spin on lap 43 that was the major talking point of the race.

Montoya attempted to pass the Ferrari around the outside at the Dunlop hairpin and Schumacher spun trying to hold him off.

The German's car was beached in the gravel on the outside of the corner but he was able to rejoin in sixth after receiving a push from the marshals.

Under changes to the rules this season, Schumacher is unlikely to be penalised for receiving outside assistance – because his car was deemed to be in a dangerous position.

Instead, it was Montoya who came under investigation from the stewards for his part in the incident. Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn called the Colombian’s move ‘crude’ but he clearly left enough space for Schumacher.

And after the dubious spectacle of Ralf shadowing his brother for 40 laps in Canada without once attempting to get past, F1 fans should count themselves lucky that they have at least one driver willing to have a go at the world champion.

In fairness to Ralf, he too overtook Michael on the track at the Nurburgring – for the first time in his 109 grands prix.

Schuey Jr got the jump on his elder sibling at the start. All the drivers starting on the dirty side of the track struggled for traction off the line and the world champ was no exception.

Ralf easily outdragged his brother down to the first corner while Montoya, who had started directly behind Michael, lost a place to Rubens Barrichello.

After this early flurry of activity, things settled down at the front until after the first round of pitstops. Raikkonen pulled out a gap of almost 10s at the front and looked to be comfortably in charge of the race.

But the Finn’s hopes of retaking the championship lead went up in smoke when his engine blew on lap 25.

It was a devastating blow for Raikkonen, which is softened only by the fact that Michael Schumacher did not take full advantage of his misfortune by finishing in one of the top points-paying positions.

However, Kimi’s McLaren team-mate David Coulthard presented Schumacher with one more point than he should have had by spinning off late on while challenging Fernando Alonso for fourth. His retirement promoted the German from sixth to fifth.

Barrichello drove a solid but unspectacular race to finish third. Like all the other Bridgestone runners, Ferrari did not have the pace to live with the Michelin teams.

Mark Webber was an excellent sixth for Jaguar, despite making an ultra-early first pit stop while Jenson Button again put team-mate Jacques Villeneuve to shame with a consistent run to seventh.

Nick Heidfeld put in one of the performances of the race to finish eighth. The German started last after spinning in qualifying but was rewarded for his battling display when Coulthard’s spin promoted him into the points.

Full race result from the Nurburgring

1 R.SCHUMACHER Williams BMW 1h34m43.622s
2 MONTOYA Williams BMW + 0m16.821s
3 BARRICHELLO Ferrari + 0m39.673s
4 ALONSO Renault + 1m05.731s
5 M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari + 1m06.162s
6 WEBBER Jaguar + 1 lap
7 BUTTON BAR Honda + 1 lap
8 HEIDFELD Sauber Petronas + 1 lap
9 FRENTZEN Sauber Petronas + 1 lap
10 PIZZONIA Jaguar + 1 lap
11 FIRMAN Jordan Ford + 2 laps
12 FISICHELLA Jordan Ford + 2 laps
13 WILSON Minardi Cosworth + 2 laps
14 VERSTAPPEN Minardi Cosworth + 3 laps
15 COULTHARD McLaren Mercedes + 4 laps
16 DA MATTA Toyota + 7 laps
17 VILLENEUVE BAR Honda + 9 laps
18 TRULLI Renault + 23 laps
19 PANIS Toyota + 23 laps
20 RAIKKONEN McLaren Mercedes + 35 laps