Massa triumphed by 5.5sec for Ferrari from Renault's Alonso who had to fight off seven-times champion Schumacher several times over the last 15 laps to take a vital second place by just a car's length.


The Spaniard came home just fractions ahead of his Ferrari rival to increase his championship lead over the German to 12 points with four races left. Massa, who had started on pole for the first time, claimed his historic win in his 66th race and his first season with Ferrari.

"It's just fantastic. I've worked so hard my whole career for this moment," said a tearful Massa. "I'm full of emotion, like yesterday (when he took pole). This is my first time, it's like a dream come true."

Alonso admitted:

"Felipe was impossible to catch. We'll just need to do something for the next race."

Schumacher, meanwhile, paid tribute to his young team mate:

"Congratulations to Felipe - he did a superb job. There was quite a gap and he was consistent and drove superbly.

"That's what is good about our team - somebody might not have had a good weekend and the other makes up for it. It was a nice fight towards the end."

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Michael Schumacher and Felipe Massa secured another dominant 1-2 finish this afternoon at the 4.574km Hockenheim circuit, giving Bridgestone its 100th win from the 165 Grand Prix the company has participated in since entering Formula One as a tyre supplier in 1997.

Michael Schumacher is personally responsible for 56 of those wins. However, today’s results also means that the seven time world champion is now just 11 points behind title leader Fernando Alonso in the driver points standings while Ferrari lie just ten points adrift in the Constructors’ championship.


Toyota Racing also took points today for Jarno Trulli’s strong drive from 20th on the grid to seventh. However, it was a desperately unlucky day again for the Williams F1 team. Nico Rosberg crashed out early on while Mark Webber had been set for a top five finish before a car problem hit ten laps from the finish line.


MF1 Racing’s Christijan Albers and Tiago Monteiro both finished the race today but for Super Aguri F1, who debuted their new SA06, it was disappointing not to get either car over the finish line.

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'No way will we settle for constructors alone' says Todt


Michael Schumacher's third straight win has revived Ferrari's hopes of returning to the pinnacle of Formula 1, team manager Jean Todt said Monday .


Speaking after Schumacher won the French Grand Prix, Todt fiercely denied suggestions that the Italian team was prepared to make do with the constructors' championship, where it is now just 21 points behind pace-setters Renault with seven races - representing a potential haul of 136 points - still to go.

"There's no way we're going to be happy with just the constructors' championship. All we'll settle for is Felipe Massa (Ferrari's No.2 driver) not getting second place,"

a combative Todt told reporters.


Todt said he was "convinced" Schumacher, 17 points behind Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso, had "a great chance" of adding to his seven world titles .

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LONDON (Reuters) - Michael Schumacher says he is happy with his start to the Formula One season and expects Ferrari to be even quicker in Australia next week.

All in all I'm very happy with the first two races, things played out as expected for us," the seven-times world champion told his website after finishing sixth in Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix.

"I'll try to do even better as soon as next week comes around,

added the German, second equal in the drivers' standings with 11 points to the 18 of Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso.


Schumacher said Ferrari were focusing on Melbourne after a difficult weekend in Malaysia with both himself and new Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa penalised for engine failures before the race.

We analysed the race thoroughly and are now focused on the next race," said the 37-year-old.

"After all, we know that the circuit at Albert Park is much better for us than Sepang, so we have every reason to be optimistic.

"We wanted to score points in Malaysia and we did, and now we're hoping to score some more in Australia.

Schumacher, enjoying a few days vacation with his wife in Australia, said he had considered returning to Europe for testing but decided it was pointless unless absolutely necessary.


"We are absolutely on schedule, so it wouldn't have done us any good," he declared.


The 2006 Australian Grand Prix will be held in Melbourne on April 2nd.