Ruthless Schu takes 72nd win of career

WORLD champion Michael Schumacher claimed his second win of the Formula One season and the 72nd of his career in yesterday's Malaysian Grand Prix, despite claims of gamesmanship against Ferrari.

Schumacher, who won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago, made the perfect start and was never seriously troubled as he led home Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

The six-time world champion came home five seconds clear of Montoya in the 56-lap race to maintain his 100% start to the season and claim his third win at Sepang and his first in Malaysia since 2001.

Montoya made a flying start to the race but complained of team tactics from Ferrari after seeing his chances of fighting for victory ruined by Rubens Barrichello.

Montoya, who started from fourth on the grid in his Williams, had moved up to second place and was closing the gap on Schumacher before making his final pit stop on lap 39.

But he was forced to back off and settle for second place behind Schumacher after the German's team-mate Barrichello blocked him as he came out of the pits and held him up for five laps. "It was a shame I came out of the last stop behind Rubens," said Montoya, who was finally left with a clear track after Barrichello made his final stop. "I was trying to catch Michael towards the end of the race, the car got better, the tyres were just getting better and better and better.

"But I went to pass him and he blocked me.I think it was into turn four, I got a bit of a run on him and as soon as I moved he closed the door straight away and blocked me.

"There was no point even trying to pass and then his pace backed off. The lap before he came into the pits he pushed again, so I lost a bit of time. But that's racing. In that situation in a non-Ferrari it's better to back off and go home with eight points than out of the race. That's good for the team, good for myself."

Elsewhere, BAR driver Jenson Button, who had finished fourth on five occasions, finally stood on the podium after an impressive drive to finish ahead of Barrichello.

Renault's Jarno Trulli won the battle with David Coulthard, of McLaren, for fifth place while Fernando Alonso, who started from the back of the grid, scored points in seventh with Sauber's Felipe Massa eighth.

Mark Webber, who had started second on the grid, endured a nightmare race and spun out while championship hopefuls Kimi Raikkonen and Ralf Schumacher retired because of mechanical problems.

With the circuit damp after the arrival of rain, Raikkonen spun on the formation lap while Jordan's Giorgio Pantano started from the pit-lane after changing an engine.

At the start, Schumacher got away perfectly but Webber struggled to get off the line to leave Barrichello in second place. Alonso made up ground from the back to run in 10th place.