German Chancellor Cheers Schumacher Triumph

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder led Germany in celebration of Michael Schumacher's fifth Formula One World Championship, which the Ferrari driver sealed with victory at the French Grand Prix on Sunday.

"You have broken almost every record in Formula One and set completely new standards. I heartily congratulate you and the whole Ferrari team," Schroeder wrote in a telegram to Schumacher. "A fantastic victory in an already unique career."

Meanwhile, hundreds of fans clad in red Ferrari caps and shirts erupted with joy in Schumacher's Rhineland home town of Kerpen, not far from Cologne.

Fans watching the race on a giant screen in a hall in the town cheered, clapped and waved German and Ferrari flags as the German clocked up his eighth victory in 11 races, giving him an unbeatable lead of 62 points with a maximum of 60 remaining.

"Now he's got the record, I think it's great. I almost wept," said Wolfgang Goergens.

In equalling the late Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio's record of five Championships, Schumacher became the first driver to win the title as early as July and with six rounds in hand.

The win also made Schumacher the first driver to win three successive titles since Fangio, who won four in a row from 1954 to 1957. Schumacher won his other titles in 1994 and 1995 with Benetton and in 2000 and 2001 with Ferrari.