Rivals Forced to Admit Ferrari Dominance

Ferrari's Formula One rivals conceded on Sunday they face a daunting task trying to close the gap on the dominant Italian team.

Michael Schumacher led home teammate Rubens Barrichello for a Ferrari one-two at the Hungarian Grand Prix, clinching a sixth consecutive constructors' title for the team with five races of the season remaining.

BAR team principal David Richards, whose team are third in the Championship, led the tributes to Ferrari and said the level of success the Italian giants have enjoyed is what he is aspiring to.

"I have a feeling we are going to be a strong contender all the way to the end of the season," said Richards, who is looking for BAR to finish runners-up. "But one can't help but admire and congratulate Ferrari for their superb performance. This serves as a stark reminder of how hard we have to work to get to the very top."

Ferrari secured the title after extending their lead over second-placed Renault to an unassailable 111 points. Renault's Fernando Alonso, who lapped Schumacher when winning in Hungary last year, claimed the final place on the podium behind the Ferrari pair.

The Spaniard was 44 seconds adrift of Schumacher, however, and accepts hard work is needed before the 2005 campaign.

"I think we were not competitive enough here to beat them," Alonso said. "We know that Ferrari have been World Champions six years in a row and are the team to beat and all the other teams will work hard over the winter to build new cars competitive enough to beat them.

"I am sure this year we improved a lot, we are second in the Constructors' Championship but we are a little bit far away from the tyres point of view, we were a little bit down in most of the races."

Renault's team principal Flavio Briatore summed up things simply.

"Ferrari were unbeatable today," he said.