Schumacher hails championship 'miracle'

Schumacher moved level on points with Renault's Alonso in the world championship with two races remaining in the season.

The 37-year-old German's seventh victory of the season - the 91st of his career - gave him the championship lead for the first time since he ended the 2004 season with his seventh world title.

Schumacher was 25 points behind Alonso after the Canadian Grand Prix.

"Looking back some while ago, it is quite a miracle that we are there," said Schumacher. "But thanks to great work out from everybody we managed and we go to the last two races (with options to win the title)."

Schumacher drove superbly in the tricky conditions after having struggled in the wet in qualifying, with his Bridgestone tyres looking slower than Alonso's Michelins.

The conditions, however, got better for Schumacher in the race and he seized the opportunity.

"It was quite an exciting and excellent weekend," said Schumacher. "We were pretty much competitive in the dry on Friday and then a downpour and nearly didn't make it into the top 10, and getting a top six which was vital.

"We had a reasonable pace to start with, to keep up with the guys in front and then our tyres started to work. As we saw in Hungary there were stages in the race where we were faster. We then found the right moment on dry tyres and I had the pace to get it home.

"It was a gamble to stay on the tyres because it is difficult to see what state the tyres are when you drive them so you have to gamble and see the option of what to do. It was the right moment to change. We had the option to go in and change dry tyres."

Schumacher could win the championship in Japan next weekend if he finishes first and Alonso doesn't score thanks to having scored more wins than the Renault driver.