Ralf Schumacher Wins Dramatic European GP

German Ralf Schumacher secured an early birthday present with victory in his home race, the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring on Sunday, to help the Williams-BMW team to a one-two finish.

Schumacher, who grew up in nearby Kerpen, will turn 28 on Monday and he was given the perfect present with an unexpected victory after leader Kimi Raikkonen had retired with engine failure when comfortably in front.

Juan Pablo Montoya made it a perfect day for Williams-BMW as he forced Michael Schumacher into a mistake to grab the runners-up spot and score the team's first one-two since Malaysia last year, when Ralf last won.

Ferrari driver Rubens Barrichello completed a largely anonymous race to finish on the podium in third, with Spaniard Fernando Alonso holding off challenges to hang on to fourth place.

Michael Schumacher was classified fifth, despite spinning and receiving assistance from the marshals, with Jaguar driver Mark Webber, BAR-Honda's Jenson Button and Sauber Nick Heidfeld claiming the remaining points finishes.

Heidfeld, who failed to set a time in qualifying after spinning off, opted to start from the pitlane rather than the back of the grid and he denied teammate Heinz-Harald Frentzen points as he finished ninth on his 150th Grand Prix start.

At the start Ralf Schumacher and Barrichello, both on the cleaner side of the track, gained one place each as they jumped to second and fourth at the expense of Michael Schumacher and Montoya respectively.

Pole-sitter Raikkonen also made a good start to race into the lead, while at the other end of the grid Jacques Villeneuve's luck deserted him again as his launch control failed and left him behind the Minardis of Jos Verstappen and Justin Wilson.

BAR-Honda's Villeneuve forced his way past the Minardi pair only to make an error spinning onto the gravel. His fortunes got worse when he damaged his front wing after clipping the bollards at the chicane.

Toyota driver Olivier Panis, running seventh at the time, also spun when he locked his brakes at the first corner and slid into the gravel before returning to the track. Raikkonen and third-placed Michael Schumacher both pitted on lap 15 to leave Ralf in front until the Williams driver made his first stop six laps later.

But Raikkonen's hopes of a second win of the season went up in smoke on lap 25 when his Mercedes engine failed with the Finn holding a comfortable advantage over Ralf Schumacher.

Michael Schumacher made his second stop on lap 35 and returned to the track in fifth place behind Coulthard, before Renault's Jarno Trulli and Panis both exited the race with their cars left at the side of the track.

Montoya stopped from second place and Williams got him out ahead of Barrichello, who had already made his second pitstop, and Ralf Schumacher followed him in the next lap from the lead.

The Williams driver emerged still at the head of the field ahead of Coulthard, who still had a stop to make, brother Michael, Montoya and Barrichello. Coulthard then stopped and lost time with the fuel rig stuck in his car.

Montoya tracked Schumacher and pulled off a sensational overtaking move around the outside and the Ferrari driver was sent into a spin and was stuck on the gravel and was aided by the marshals as they pushed him out of the gravel trap.

Villeneuve eventually retired and was joined out of the race by Cristiano da Matta, whose Toyota engine failed, and Coulthard who crashed out at the chicane attempting to pass Alonso in the closing stages.

PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The European Grand Prix Nurburgring, Germany; 60 laps; 308.863km; Weather: warm and dry. Classified: Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time 1. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) 1h 34:43.622 2. Montoya Williams BMW (M) + 16.821 3. Barrichello Ferrari (B) + 39.673 4. Alonso Renault (M) + 1:05.731 5. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) + 1:06.162 6. Webber Jaguar Cosworth (M) + 1 lap 7. Button BAR Honda (B) + 1 lap 8. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) + 1 lap 9. Frentzen Sauber Petronas (B) + 1 lap 10. Pizzonia Jaguar Cosworth (M) + 1 lap 11. Firman Jordan Ford (B) + 2 laps 12. Fisichella Jordan Ford (B) + 2 laps 13. Wilson Minardi Cosworth (B) + 2 laps 14. Verstappen Minardi Cosworth (B) + 3 laps 15. Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) + 4 laps Fastest Lap: Raikkonen, 1:32.621, lap 14 Not Classified/Retirements: Driver Team On Lap da Matta Toyota (M) 54 Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) 52 Trulli Renault (M) 38 Panis Toyota (M) 38 Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 26 World Championship Standing, Round 9 (Provisional): Drivers: Constructors: 1. M.Schumacher 58 1. Ferrari 95 2. Raikkonen 51 2. Williams-BMW 82 3. R.Schumacher 43 3. McLaren-Mercedes 76 4. Montoya 39 4. Renault 52 = Alonso 39 5. BAR-Honda 13 6. Barrichello 37 6. Jordan-Ford 11 7. Coulthard 25 7. Sauber 9 8. Trulli 13 8. Jaguar-Cosworth 9 9. Fisichella 10 9. Toyota 4 = Button 10 11. Webber 9 12. Frentzen 7 13. da Matta 3 = Villeneuve 3 15. Heidfeld 2 16. Firman 1 = Panis 1 All timing unofficial