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| October 08, 2006 | Sunday | Ramazan 14, 1427 |
Schumacher has chance to take title
SUZUKA (Japan), Oct 7: Heading into Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso are tied atop the Formula One driver standings on 116 points with two races remaining.
Schumacher has a slim chance to clinch the title Sunday if he wins and Alonso fails to finish or is scoreless. Because of a tiebreaker rule, Alonso does not have the same opportunity.
Schumacher received a boost when team-mate Felipe Massa took pole position for Sunday's race and Schumacher was second and Alonso qualified fifth.
Team orders are prohibited, but Massa said he would work toward ensuring Ferrari wins both the driver's and constructor's championships.
With points per race awarded to the top eight finishers on a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis, Schumacher has seven firsts, four seconds, a third, a fifth, a sixth and an eighth and was scoreless once.
Alonso has six firsts, six seconds, two fifths and was scoreless twice.
If Schumacher earns his eighth season victory on Sunday and Alonso is scoreless, the German will take a 126-116 lead into the final race at Brazil on Oct 22.
Even if Alonso wins the last race and Schumacher is scoreless, they are tied at 126 points each. But Alonso's victory would only be his seventh.
In case of a tie, the title goes to the one with the most firsts, which would give the nod to Schumacher.
If Alonso wins in Japan, Schumacher can still tie in Brazil and win the championship on the victories rule.
However, if they are tied in victories and points at the end of the season, the title goes to the driver with the most second places, which Alonso leads 6-4.
MASSA KNOWS ROLE: Felipe Massa won the pole position, but with the emphasis on his Ferrari team-mate Michael Schumacher in his title race with Fernando Alonso, he was almost forgotten.
However Massa might get noticed if he gives way to allow Schumacher to take the victory, and perhaps the title, in Sunday's race.
“Schumacher and Alonso are tied atop the drivers’ standings on 116 points after 16 races.—AP
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