Schumacher’s pit-stop strategy pays dividends

MICHAEL SCHUMACHER showed that Ferrari’s Imola win was no fluke at the Nurburgring yesterday 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, the seven-times drivers’ world champion cut Alonso’s lead in the standings to 13 points.