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Race: Schu bags win, title, record!

Ferrari's Michael Schumacher sealed his fourth world championship title with an emphatic performance as he dominated the Hungarian Grand Prix. And in notching up his 51st career win, the tearful German stood on the podium knowing he had also turned over a new page in the record books by matching Alain Prost's all-time record for Formula 1 race victories

Victory was the only way for Schumacher to guarantee himself the title, regardless of what McLaren's David Coulthard and his other distant rivals achieved, and the Ferrari star never put a wheel wrong. And with Scuderia team-mate Rubens Barrichello able to re-take Coulthard to grab second place at the second round of stops in the race, Schumacher had the buffer he needed to ensure he had the most straight forward of cruises to the flag, thereby successfully defending both the drivers' and constructors' crowns for Ferrari.

"It's been a beautiful weekend," said a highly emotional Schumacher afterwards. "For some reason I came here [to Hungary] with not such a good feeling as to whether this race was going to be the one for us. But then I got pole, led away from the grid and took the win.

"I was talking to the team [on the radio] on the slowing down lap, but it's always difficult trying to put these things into words. It's a great achievement, but it's the way that it's been done that really counts. We have such a good team around us, with Rubens and all the guys, I love them all."

Schumacher, who becomes the first Ferrari driver to defend the drivers' title since Alberto Ascari 48 years ago, refused to judge this title up against his other three, which he won in 1994 and '95 with Benetton, and then with Ferrari last year.

"Comparisons don't matter," he said. "I don't think it's important. It's just a great feeling to win to win any Grand Prix, and even better a title, and I just want to enjoy it."

Schumacher, on top form all weekend, had made full use of his pole position to secure the lead when the lights turned green. And even more importantly, Coulthard's McLaren struggled to get away from the dirty side of the track on the outside of the front row and lost out to Barrichello into the first corner. These three then pulled rapidly away from the rest of the field, with Ralf Schumacher's Williams slotting into a lonely fourth place as Jarno Trulli's Jordan fell back quickly as he staved off Mika Hakkinen's McLaren.

At first Schumacher, who had suffered minor undertray damage during a warm up lap trip to the gravel, seemed unable to pull away from the raging Barrichello/Coulthard battle. But by lap 17 he head eased six seconds clear, before putting in a typically masterful spurt that effectively took the race, and the title, away from the reach of his rivals. In the next 10 laps before his pit stop, the German simply flew and extended his lead to 14.5s.

But with Coulthard managing to scramble past Barrichello at the first round of pit stops, there appeared to be a battle brewing as the Scot immediately began to carve into the Ferrari star's lead. It was down to under 10 seconds before Schumacher responded, and held the lead steady as Barrichello re-exerted pressure on the McLaren.

Once again, luck did not go Coulthard's way and a momentarily stuck fuel nozzle at his second stop was enough to allow the lurking Barrichello to regain his second place on lap 54. This allowed Schumacher a simple run to flag, safe in the knowledge that he had his team-mate protecting him, and he duly clinched his world title, as well as Ferrari's third straight constructors' championship.

"The dream continues, it's unbelievable," said Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn. "When we all started together at Ferrari we never imagined this could happen, but it's a great, great bunch of people. To win with four races still remaining is exceptional - we can always improve, but I can't think how at the moment."

And with Schumacher equalling the record to be the most successful Grand Prix driver of all time in terms of victories, Brawn paid tribute to his charge he has worked with for ten years.

"Michael has huge talent, but also massive commitment," he said. "It's this combination that proves irresistible - even on his holiday [in the three week break since the German GP] he spent most days karting, just be cause he loves driving. Even if he got paid $50,000 a year he'd do this job, just because he's a true enthusiast and he loves it."

A distant fourth place went the way of Ralf Schumacher, who had an uneventful afternoon until the last 20 laps, when he came under heavy attack from a charging Hakkinen. The place was eventually resolved when McLaren called the Finn in for a final splash and dash of fuel, leaving the Michelin-shod Williams in the clear once more.

Fifth ended a frustrating weekend for former double world champion Hakkinen, whose race hamstrung badly by an impotent first stint when he proved unable to pass the tardy Jordan of Trulli as the Italian held up a long train of cars, including the two Saubers and Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams. Once he was past the Jordan after his first pit stop, following a very long first stint by the second McLaren, the Finn absolutely flew, setting fastest lap as he showed what might have been if he had been at the sharp end from the off.

Trulli's lack of pace eventually told, and he fell to 10th before retiring at two-third's distance with mechanical failure, leaving sixth and the final point to Nick Heidfeld ahead of Sauber team-mate Kimi Raikkonen and the struggling Montoya.

It was also a bad day for the other Britons. Eddie Irvine's Jaguar spun off at the very first corner, while Jenson Button had his Benetton up to 16th before being given a stop-go penalty for a jump start - he then later retired after spinning at the final turn.

For full race results, click here.

For full championship standings,

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