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The 56th Formula One World Championship featured a classic duel between two men who will go down in history among the sport's icons.
Spain's Fernando Alonso became the youngest double world champion ever, ironically toppling the record previously held by Michael Schumacher, the man whom he beat to the title. Alonso was 25 years and 85 days old at Interlagos, whereas Schumacher was 26 years and 292 days when he wrapped up title number two at the 1995 Pacific Grand Prix.
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Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher at the Brazilian Grand Prix © XPB/LAT |
Alonso's career is eerily reminiscent of Schumacher's at the same point. Schumacher drove for Benetton, which morphed into Renault. Both scored their second consecutive world championship while driving with Renault engines, and both left the team after winning that second title, in order to join an under-performing top team.
Having said that, Alonso's gamble is probably not quite as big as Schumacher's was when he signed for Ferrari in 1996. Although McLaren didn't win a race in 2006, Ron Dennis's team won ten times in 2005. Ferrari only managed two wins in five years before Schumacher arrived.
