INDIANAPOLIS, Sept 29: Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher was a point short of a record sixth Formula One championship on Sunday after winning a wet and wild US Grand Prix.

The German, ever the rain master, steered clear of the controversy and chaos that blew away Colombian rival Juan Pablo Montoya’s title hopes to claim the 70th victory of an extraordinary career.

Schumacher now has 92 points and a nine-point lead over McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen with just the Japanese Grand Prix remaining.

Williams’ Montoya, a crowd favourite and many people’s pre-race title tip, has 82 points after finishing sixth but cannot catch Schumacher now.

The swashbuckling Colombian, winner of the Indy 500 at Indianapolis three years ago, was ruled out of the reckoning after picking up an early drive-through penalty.

Germany’s Heinz-Harald Frentzen was third for Sauber, the team’s first podium of the year, with Italian Jarno Trulli fourth for Renault.

Germany’s Nick Heidfeld was fifth for Sauber, Montoya sixth, Italian Giancarlo Fisichella seventh for Jordan and Briton Justin Wilson picked up the final point for Jaguar.

That result meant Schumacher needed only to finish eighth at Suzuka, where he has won for the last three years, to claim his unprecedented title on Oct 12.

He said he would not be playing safe in Japan. “We just need one point basically but you never know,” said Schumacher. “To be first, first you have to finish. My target will be to win another race.”

“This is such an emotional day today, so fantastic after a not very great qualifying performance...there was everything in it today and to win this at such a crucial stage in the championship means a lot.

“Our tifosi (fans) just carried us to this success.”

Raikkonen said he had not given up hope of catching Schumacher. “We lost the race because we were very unlucky today with the weather but what can you do?” he said.

“But you never know, maybe we’ll have a very different race in the last one and it all can happen.”

In a race of constantly changing fortunes, it seemed for much of the race as if Schumacher was destined to leave Indianapolis with the title.

But Raikkonen ensured the battle remained alive, if only with the weakest of pulses, with a tenacious second place from pole position.

Ferrari also regained the lead in the constructor’s championship, with 147 points to Williams’ 144.

Montoya’s hopes were destroyed when the Williams driver was given a drive-through penalty after a third lap incident with Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello.

The two cars touched and Barrichello spun into the gravel and out of the race, the blow to Ferrari’s hopes of retaining the constructors’ crown lessened when Montoya’s team mate Ralf Schumacher went out 20 laps later.

Result (race distance: 73 laps, 306.016 km/190.139 miles): 1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari one hour 33 minutes and 35.997 seconds (average speed 196.164 kph); 2. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) McLaren 1:33.54.255; 3. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Sauber 1:34.13.961; 4. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Renault 1:34.24.326; 5. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Sauber 1:34.32.400; 6. Juan Pablo Montoya (Colombia) Williams one lap behind; 7. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Jordan 1 lap; 8. Justin Wilson (Britain) Jaguar 2 laps; 9. Cristiano da Matta (Brazil) Toyota 2 laps; 10. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Minardi 4 laps; 11. Nicolas Kiesa (Denmark) Minardi 4 laps.

Not classified (did not finish): Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari; Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams; Mark Webber (Australia) Jaguar; Olivier Panis (France) Toyota; Jenson Button (Britain) BAR; Fernando Alonso (Spain) Renault; David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren; Ralph Firman (Britain) Jordan; Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR.

Fastest lap: Schumacher, lap 13 one minute 11.473 seconds (average speed 211.145).—Reuters