Happy Schumacher Remains Cautious

Michael Schumacher celebrated Ferrari's 150th Grand Prix win on Sunday with a commanding drive in Canada that tightened his grip on a record-equalling fifth Formula One world title.

It was the 59th win of the champion's career, his sixth in eight races this season, his fifth in Canada after finishing runner-up to younger brother Ralf last year, and his 40th victory with Ferrari.

"A very good day in all respects, in all directions," Schumacher said afterwards. The victory, on a sunlit afternoon at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, extended the German's overall lead to a massive 43 points over Ralf and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, but the German refused to get carried away.

"There's no point in thinking about it too much," said a cautious Schumacher. "We know we have a comfortable lead. There's no point in thinking about when we can win it, we just have to make sure we do win it. It's not being pessimistic, just being realistic. It's not over. We still have to wait for that."

Ralf finished seventh after being held up by a faulty fuel rig on a nightmare day for his team. Schumacher has 70 points, Montoya and Ralf 27 and Coulthard 26. In a race with more overtaking than the rest of the season combined and with pitstops crucial, the lead switched between the Ferrari drivers and Montoya until Schumacher finally seized control.

Montoya's retirement came just as it looked as though he was going to give the four-times World Champion a run for his money in the latter stages of the race.

"It's not my fault that Juan breaks down, it would have been a very close battle that's for sure," said Schumacher.

But the expected clash between him and his confident Colombian rival never happened. All eyes were on the tight opening corner as the two, whose other front row clashes this season had proved explosive, faced off again at a circuit notorious for first lap mayhem.

This time everything went smoothly, the Colombian making a clean getaway - cutting across to leave no room for overtaking or argument. At the same time Rubens Barrichello accelerated through to seize second place from Schumacher, who let him pass.

"I knew that Rubens was on two stop strategy so I didn't want to make his life difficult and I let him go," said Schumacher.

The Brazilian then took the lead and stayed ahead until his first pitstop at the end of lap 25, when Schumacher took over at the front.

Barrichello's strategy was undone by the appearance of the safety car, which had come out for three laps as marshals recovered Canadian Jacques Villeneuve's stranded BAR. The Brazilian did not agree with the stewards' decision.

"Unfortunately my race today was done before the safety car," said the Brazilian, who went on to finish third. "I really thought there was no need to do it, Villeneuve's car was parked."