Motorsport: Schumacher enjoys winning feeling at last

IMOLA, Italy - Ferrari fans had almost forgotten how it felt to see Michael Schumacher standing on top of the Formula One podium, happily conducting their Italian national anthem.

The German reminded them at the San Marino Grand Prix overnight NZ time, with the seven-times world champion capping his record 66th pole position with Ferrari's first 'real' win since October 2004.

The last time the German stood on the top step was actually in Indianapolis last June, 13 races ago.

But, with angry United States fans booing and hurling bottles at the track after all but six cars withdrew before the start due to tyre safety concerns, there was little real reason to celebrate then.

Sunday ensured that fiasco will not be the last win of Schumacher's career and Imola may not be the last appearance at Ferrari's home circuit either for the most successful driver in the history of the sport.

Although the 37-year-old has yet to decide whether to continue racing after the end of the season, he has said he sees no reason to stop if he is still enjoying himself and that seemed evident enough in the April sunshine.

Asked whether the result at Imola, his seventh win at the circuit since 1994, would affect his feelings for the future, he replied simply "No".

His feelings yesterday were very much for the present, an expression of relief that the long wait had ended in front of Ferrari's home crowd.

"We had an amazing weekend," said Schumacher, whose victory comes with perfect timing to sell a few more tickets for the next race at his home Nuerburgring circuit in Germany.

"The result shows that work pays off and that the effort put in by everyone -- the team and our partners -- has delivered its reward."

Ferrari had been eclipsed by Renault in 2006 with Schumacher crashing out in Australia this month and slowed by engine troubles in Malaysia.

At Imola, he was able to turn the tables on Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso, the young Spaniard who so audaciously beat him on the same track last year in a nose-to-tail duel.

"In a way it as similar to what it was last year, honestly," he said.

"If you close the door and you do the job in the right way then you don't give a chance, really, to the driver behind.

"In the middle stint, I had to work a bit harder and in the final stint I just drove the car at a nice limit, not to over-push anything and just controlled what was necessary."

All that was left was to spray the winner's champagne, with Ferrari team boss Jean Todt joining him on the podium in ebullient mood.

"When I was going up to the podium, I said to Michael that I could not remember the way any more, it had been such a long time since the last victory," said the Frenchman.

- REUTERS