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Schumacher makes history
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher has become the most successful Formula One driver of all time after a dramatic Japanese Grand Prix.
JAPANESE GP
1 R Barrichello (Ferrari)
2 K Raikkonen (McLaren)
3 D Coulthard (McLaren)
4 J Button (BAR)
5 J Trulli (Renault)
6 T Sato (BAR)
7 C Da Matta (Toyota)
8 M Schumacher (Ferrari)
Full results
Japanese GP: Lapwatch
Photos from Suzuka
The German finished eighth to grab the point he needed to make certain of the title, while his team-mate, Rubens Barrichello, helped Ferrari to the constructors' championship by winning the race from pole.
Schumacher surpasses the record of five titles he shared with Argentine legend Juan Manuel Fangio, a feat he achieved last year.
McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, who was Schumacher's nearest challenger, finished second to Barrichello.
But even if he had won the race, tried his utmost to get the win he required, but even if he had, the Finn's efforts would have been in vain with his rival finishing in the points.
It appeared as if the omens were looking ominous for Schumacher this weekend.
The German needed a good qualifying session on Saturday to ensure himself a good starting position on the grid.
However, 14th place was what the German had to settle for after a rain-splattered track slowed down his qualifying lap.
Review:
F1 2003 season
All Schumacher's fears were being realised as he was faced with the prospect of navigating his Ferrari through the traffic in order to get to the magical mark of eighth place to give him the one point required.
After a trouble free start, the 34-year-old found himself having to come into the pits to replace his front nose following a collision with BAR driver Takuma Sato.
It was case of two steps forward and then a step back, as Schumacher went from 12th to 13th place.
With the elusive eighth place in his sights, Schumacher was then faced with a battle involving his brother Ralf in the Williams and Toyota's Cristiano Da Matta.
Is Schumacher the greatest ever?
Michael Schumacher profile
On the 41st lap, the Ferrari star came too close to Da Matta's rear and was forced to brake hard.
As a result brother Ralf in the Williams shunted the Ferrari and lost his front wing.
With Schumacher now settled in eighth he made no further attempt to pass Da Matta and eventually cruised to the finishing line secure in the knowledge he had done what he set out to do.
Meanwhile, his rival Raikkonen needed victory and hope that Schumacher would finish outside the points.
However, like Schumacher, the Finn's attempt to become the youngest ever champion at the age of 23, was handed a major setback in qualifying as he too suffered because of the rain.
Beginning eighth on the grid, Raikkonen jumped to sixth and then found himself in second after the retirements of Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya and Renault's Fernando Alonso.
But despite getting to the position the Finn could not seem to find the extra burst of speed needed to close the gap on leader Barrichello.
Barrichello held firm from the start
By the end of the race the Brazilian had finished 11 seconds in front of the 23-year-old.
It was insult to injury, but it is surely a matter of time before the talented Raikkonen wins his maiden title.
Barrichello's victory ensured Ferrari of the constructors' title which they won by 14 points after starting the day with a four-point lead from Williams.
Both Williams' suffered a disappointing end to the season after Montoya's early exit and Ralf Schumacher's two spins and emergency pit stop, which saw him finish in 12th.
Of the other point scorers, McLaren's David Coulthard, whose future with the team is under review, ended on a high with podium place.
Another Briton, Jenson Button, also ended a troubled season on a happier note, with a fourth.
Italy's Jarno Trulli, who was Renault leading driver this season, came fifth, with the BAR of Sato and Toyota's Da Matta taking sixth and seventh respectively.
Ferrari's Schumacher took the final point-scoring place, but to the German and Ferrari the value of that point proved to be priceless.
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher has become the most successful Formula One driver of all time after a dramatic Japanese Grand Prix.
JAPANESE GP
1 R Barrichello (Ferrari)
2 K Raikkonen (McLaren)
3 D Coulthard (McLaren)
4 J Button (BAR)
5 J Trulli (Renault)
6 T Sato (BAR)
7 C Da Matta (Toyota)
8 M Schumacher (Ferrari)
Full results
Japanese GP: Lapwatch
Photos from Suzuka
The German finished eighth to grab the point he needed to make certain of the title, while his team-mate, Rubens Barrichello, helped Ferrari to the constructors' championship by winning the race from pole.
Schumacher surpasses the record of five titles he shared with Argentine legend Juan Manuel Fangio, a feat he achieved last year.
McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, who was Schumacher's nearest challenger, finished second to Barrichello.
But even if he had won the race, tried his utmost to get the win he required, but even if he had, the Finn's efforts would have been in vain with his rival finishing in the points.
It appeared as if the omens were looking ominous for Schumacher this weekend.
The German needed a good qualifying session on Saturday to ensure himself a good starting position on the grid.
However, 14th place was what the German had to settle for after a rain-splattered track slowed down his qualifying lap.
Review:
F1 2003 season
All Schumacher's fears were being realised as he was faced with the prospect of navigating his Ferrari through the traffic in order to get to the magical mark of eighth place to give him the one point required.
After a trouble free start, the 34-year-old found himself having to come into the pits to replace his front nose following a collision with BAR driver Takuma Sato.
It was case of two steps forward and then a step back, as Schumacher went from 12th to 13th place.
With the elusive eighth place in his sights, Schumacher was then faced with a battle involving his brother Ralf in the Williams and Toyota's Cristiano Da Matta.
Is Schumacher the greatest ever?
Michael Schumacher profile
On the 41st lap, the Ferrari star came too close to Da Matta's rear and was forced to brake hard.
As a result brother Ralf in the Williams shunted the Ferrari and lost his front wing.
With Schumacher now settled in eighth he made no further attempt to pass Da Matta and eventually cruised to the finishing line secure in the knowledge he had done what he set out to do.
Meanwhile, his rival Raikkonen needed victory and hope that Schumacher would finish outside the points.
However, like Schumacher, the Finn's attempt to become the youngest ever champion at the age of 23, was handed a major setback in qualifying as he too suffered because of the rain.
Beginning eighth on the grid, Raikkonen jumped to sixth and then found himself in second after the retirements of Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya and Renault's Fernando Alonso.
But despite getting to the position the Finn could not seem to find the extra burst of speed needed to close the gap on leader Barrichello.
Barrichello held firm from the start
By the end of the race the Brazilian had finished 11 seconds in front of the 23-year-old.
It was insult to injury, but it is surely a matter of time before the talented Raikkonen wins his maiden title.
Barrichello's victory ensured Ferrari of the constructors' title which they won by 14 points after starting the day with a four-point lead from Williams.
Both Williams' suffered a disappointing end to the season after Montoya's early exit and Ralf Schumacher's two spins and emergency pit stop, which saw him finish in 12th.
Of the other point scorers, McLaren's David Coulthard, whose future with the team is under review, ended on a high with podium place.
Another Briton, Jenson Button, also ended a troubled season on a happier note, with a fourth.
Italy's Jarno Trulli, who was Renault leading driver this season, came fifth, with the BAR of Sato and Toyota's Da Matta taking sixth and seventh respectively.
Ferrari's Schumacher took the final point-scoring place, but to the German and Ferrari the value of that point proved to be priceless.