Analysis: Ferrari Make a Thriller Out of a Procession

Ferrari kept their fans on tenterhooks to the last corner on Sunday before they could celebrate a victory for Rubens Barrichello.

The Brazilian won a remarkable European Grand Prix, leading home teammate and Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher in an enthralling race full of irony and uncertainty.

Rarely have Ferrari so totally dominated a race, been so in control and yet left their fans so nervous right to the final few metres. Rarely has Schumacher been cheered so loudly by his own home fans after being beaten by a number two more used to riding shotgun behind him.

The sight of the two red Ferraris vanishing into the distance, building up a huge safety cushion over their nearest rivals, would not normally have a global television audience on the edge of their seats. But Sunday's race at the revamped Nurburgring had another, unfamiliar, dimension to it.

Hearing

Schumacher, Barrichello and Ferrari must appear on Wednesday before an International Automobile Federation (FIA) gathering in Paris called in response to last month's Austrian Grand Prix 'team orders' controversy.

At Spielberg in May, Barrichello led from start to finish only to be told to give way - for the second year in a row - to allow Schumacher to win. That manipulation drew outrage and condemnation from Formula One supporters around the world.

On Sunday, with Championship leader Schumacher right behind Barrichello entering the last few laps, the world watched and wondered whether the team would do it again and gift the German a seventh win in nine races. This time, however, Barrichello crossed the line first.

The crowd roared it's approval, tossed firecrackers into the air and let out a collective sigh of relief.

"All in all, he's done a superb race," said Schumacher, who punched the air like a winner as he crossed the line as if a weight had been lifted.

German Luck

Germany has been good to Barrichello. This was only his second win in 155 races with the other one also coming on Schumacher's home territory.

"I was telling Michael that Germany seems to be so great for me because it's the second (win) in Germany and the only difference from the first one is that I'm not crying as much," Barrichello said afterwards.

When he won for the first time, at Hockenheim in 2000, Barrichello shed tears on the podium after waiting 124 races for his moment to arrive. His wife was not there to witness that breakthrough and Schumacher was not on the podium either, having crashed out early on.

But on Sunday the German beamed and doused his colleague with champagne while Barrichello's wife Silvana looked on with their son Eduardo. The Brazilian, pushed to the top of the podium by an embarrassed Schumacher in Austria, stood in his rightful place and laughed as the champagne soaked his face.

"I am very happy. I am actually delighted," he said.

"Of course people will be saying many things about that," he added when asked about Austria. "Let's just enjoy this one, it's been a fantastic race.

"There was no decision today, it was a fair and square race. Austria is part of the past. All in all I agree with what happened in Austria," he said of a race that had him fighting back tears of frustration. It is not as if what happened here is paying for another race. What is done is done."

Schumacher stretched his Championship lead to 46 points over brother Ralf, Barrichello got his win and Ferrari savoured a day of dominance. And the fans went home happy for once to see a Brazilian beat their hero.