Michael Schumacher is a single point from a sixth formula one world crown, which would guarantee him his place as the most successful driver in motor-racing history.
His 70th career victory in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix left Finnish rival Kimi Raikkonen a mountain to climb in the Japan Grand Prix at Suzuka in a fortnight.
The 23-year-old McLaren driver needs to win and hope Schumacher does not score in the final race of the season to prevent the Ferarri ace from overtaking Juan Manuel Fangio’s record.
Sunday’s race also saw the end of Juan Pablo Montoya’s title assault as the Colombian finished sixth in his Williams after incurring a drive-through penalty for pushing Rubens Barrichello’s Ferrari off the circuit as they jostled for position in the early stages.
Williams also lost their lead in the constructors’ championship, dropping three points behind Ferrari.
”It’s one of my best days in my life,” Schumacher said of his sixth victory of the season.
”It’s such an important moment, such an unusual race, so many possibilities to happen, and to win such a race at a crucial moment, it just adds up.”
Schumacher, who matched the Argentine great’s 1950s record last year with his third crown in a row, having also won the championship in 1994 and 1995, could not conceal his glee.
”It’s a very good position for us to start the last race. We just need one point basically,” Schumacher added.
”You have first to finish to be first. That will be the main target. We have a reliable car. My target will be to win another race.
”A great and important one and mostly an important outcome for the championship,” Schumacher said. ”I’m so pleased. It’s such an emotional day.
”The pressure is on. You handle it but it’s still there. When you have a result like this it’s beautiful. There was everything in it. To win this one in a crucial stage of the championship meant a lot.”
He underlined the importance of his tyre manufacturer, who produced a superior tread for the rain-drenched track.
”Bridgestone has had a lot of criticism this year. I would say they will be boosted by the performance,” Schumcher said. ”We’ve had this joker so much in our hand and we’ve never been able to use it until today.”
Raikkonen admitted the rain had been decisive.
”We lost the race because we were very unlucky with the rain,” Raikkonen said.
”The weather was in his favor this time. Our rain tyres are not as good as Bridgestones and we lost the race pretty much the second it started raining.”
Ferrari forced the motor-racing authorities to order Michelin to change their tyres at the Italian Grand Prix at Monza two weeks ago where Schumacher chalked up his 50th Ferrari win to take the initiative in the world championship. — Sapa-AFP