Michael Schumacher wins at home

The world's highest paid athelite, Michael Schumacher, earned his money today in Germany for the European Grand Prix at one of Formula 1's vaunted locales.
Alongside the monstrously difficult Nurburg Nordschligle course of old, the new Nurburgring is the modern, bland circuit designed for sterility, safety, and lastly, racing. There are few passing opportunities, yet there was great action in todays race.

Holding the points lead again, reigning Formula 1 Champion, Fernando Alonso came confidently into Germany expecting victory. Ferrarri's outcome at Imola was termed "home-field advantage". Schumacher held of Alonso to finish ahead and reduce Alonso's point lead.
At Nurburgring, Michael and Alonso left the front row, and aside from Massa lingering and fading slowly, the two left the rest of the field. Raikkonen and Montoya's McLarens didn't seem to have anything to answer the Ferrarri and Renault dominance of late.

Coming into the final pit window, Todt and Ferrarri principles seemed determined to overtake Alonso in the pits, and directed Michael to stay out an extra lap to gain precious tenths of seconds of less fuel delivery. When Alonso pitted for the final time, Michael did not pit the next lap as he had in the first set of stops. He continued and set fastest lap of the race. This is Michael Schumachers's genius: His ability to get more from his car on in laps and out laps than anyone else. When he did not pit after that lap, and crossed the line again, he set another fastest lap, this one by almost half a second. He was pouring it on. Still he did not pit. On the next lap, Massa pitted, then one lap later, Michael pitted, a full four laps after Alonso. Upon returning to the track, Alonso wasn't yet past the start finish line, halfway up the straight. Schumacher continued to pour it on and finished with an 8 second lead.
He eroded another four points of 'Nando's points lead away, in front of his fans.

That is championship form.

-Katykarter