April 24, 2006	Monday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 25, 1427

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IMOLA (Italy), April 23: Michael Schumacher won the San Marino Grand Prix for his and Ferrari's first victory of the Formula One season on Sunday.

It was the seven-times world champion's 85th career success, and seventh at Ferrari's home circuit, but he was harried all the way by Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso.

In a repeat of last year's nose-to-tail thriller only in reverse order, with that race won by Alonso with Schumacher failing to find a way past, the German held on to win by two seconds.

Schumacher's last victory was at the six-car US Grand Prix last June, a race that turned into a fiasco when all the Michelin teams pulled out before the start.

His last real win was the Japanese Grand Prix in October 2004, a season he dominated with 13 victories.

Results: 1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1:31:06.486; 2. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault +00:02.096; 3. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) McLaren 00:15.868; 4. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 00:17.096; 5. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 00:17.524; 6. Mark Webber (Australia) Williams-Cosworth 00:37.739; 7. Jenson Button (Britain) Honda 00:39.635; 8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Renault 00:40.200; 9. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Toyota 00:45.511; 10. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Honda 01:17.851; 11. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams-Cosworth 01:19.675.—Reuters