Schumacher Praises 'Tremendous' Ferrari Team

Five times World Champion Michael Schumacher showed his gratitude to the Ferrari team after clinching his third consecutive crown with the historic Maranello-based squad.

Cheered by fans in scarlet wigs, Schumacher praised his colleagues, hugged team boss Jean Todt and posed for photographs with Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo. The emotion was never far from the surface.

"They've all been special in different ways," the German said of his titles. "You cannot compare one to the other and that's what is so great about it.

"Each win actually has been different to each other and there's never been the moment where you get used to something. You still enjoy it and feel fantastic about it.

"I was just so glad that we have achieved this together with a tremendous team, with people behind who you can just love and can just admire the effort that they put in. I really love all those guys because we have such a great relationship and it's fantastic to achieve all this together."

With teammate Rubens Barrichello out of the running before the start when his Ferrari failed on the formation lap of Sunday's French Grand Prix, Schumacher only needed to win and beat Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya by six points.

Montoya led until the first pitstops, then Schumacher took over before being pushed back with a drive-through penalty for illegally crossing the white line dividing the pit lane from the track.

McLaren's young Finn Kimi Raikkonen seemed to have the measure of him until his car skidded on oil just when it seemed he was destined for a first win.

"I saw Rubens stopping and I saw the pace we had compared to Montoya and, well, I slowly started to believe in it (the Championship)," said Schumacher.

"Then obviously I had this mistake, or my mistake, getting out of the pitlane crossing the white line. Then suddenly the Championship was back in my pocket and that was something I have put aside all weekend because I didn't really believe in it."