Schumacher back on track with second successive win

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2006

NURBURGRING, Germany (AFP) — Michael Schumacher showed that Ferrari's Imola win was no fluke as he capitalised on a perfect pit-stop strategy to win the European Grand Prix in front of his home crowd.

The German's fifth win at his local circuit came after he stayed out three laps longer than world champion Fernando Alonso at the second round of pit-stops and put in three stunning laps to overhaul the Renault driver and win by 3.7 seconds.

In doing so Sunday, the seven-times drivers' world champion cut Alonso's lead in the standings to 13 points.

Alonso, 24, and 37-year-old Schumacher were never more than 1.5 seconds apart before making their first fuel and tyre stops on laps 17 and 18, from which the order remained unchanged.

"I think I could have...