Records tumble for Schumacher

Michael Schumacher romped to a record 10th victory of the season at the Belgian Grand Prix in Spa-Francorchamps today.

The five-time world champion triumphed by almost two seconds after easing off in the final laps from Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello to beat the mark of nine wins in a campaign he shared with Nigel Mansell.

Schumacher’s victory also brought him a record sixth win on the track beating the previous best tally he held with Ayrton Senna.

It was also the 50th race in succession a Ferrari driver has been on the podium, continuing an incredible sequence that began back in Malaysia in 1999.

Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya finished well adrift in third spot for Williams-BMW from the McLaren-Mercedes of David Coulthard, whose team-mate Kimi Raikkonen retired late on with engine failure.

Ralf Schumacher was fifth in the other Williams while Eddie Irvine completed a confidence-boosting weekend with sixth – his and Jaguar’s first point since the opening race of the campaign.

Allan McNish finished ninth in his first outing in the Toyota since being told to search for a new drive in 2003.

Jenson Button pulled his Renault off the track early on while Anthony Davidson’s second – and probably last – race as replacement for the rested Alex Yoong for Minardi ended like the first as he spun into a gravel trap.

Schumacher’s triumph came 10 years after he scored the maiden victory of his career in Belgium when he beat Mansell into second spot during the Brit’s then record-breaking march to the world title.

The 33-year-old German had spoken with Mansell prior to the race before going on to spearhead another crushing demonstration of Ferrari’s superiority.

Schumacher’s victory extended his career-record tally to 63 wins while it was the second race in succession the Ferraris had finished one-two.

The Swiss-based racer, who wrapped up his record-equalling fifth drivers’ crown last July, only briefly relinquished the lead during his two pit stops having powered into the lead from his maiden Belgian pole.