Barrichello leads Ferrari procession to constructors' title

Hungarian Grand Prix: Brazilian completes perfect weekend for Italian team by winning from pole position with team-mate Schumacher in tow

It was so easy for Ferrari that they were able to combine business with pleasure, completing their fourth consecutive constructors' championship success and indulging in a little by-play.

The game plan worked perfectly for the Italian team, Rubens Barrichello winning the Hungarian Grand Prix here yesterday to move into second place in the drivers' standings and Michael Schumacher, already cradling his fifth title, dutifully following across the line.

The third driver, Williams-BMW's Ralf Schumacher, was only 13 seconds further back at the end but in truth he and the rest had been cast adrift by the imperious red cars.

Barrichello and Schumacher ran at their own pace, maintaining a comfortable advantage without jeopardising their equipment or another one-two for Maranello.

Schumacher, who has pledged to support his partner's cause, made no attempt to challenge the Brazilian yet could not resist amusing himself and making a point in the closing stages.

The German, having hooked on to Barrichello's rear wing for most of the grand prix, backed off by four seconds with five laps to go and created clear road between them. Then he put his foot down, set the fastest lap and was up with the other Ferrari again. Schumacher said: "I did it for a bit of fun and to wake myself up. But there is a story behind it. At Silverstone we were also in this position and slowed towards the end, and I was surprised to find Rubens had set the fastest lap. So today I asked Ross [Brawn, the technical director] what Rubens' fastest time was and got it back.''

In the process Schumacher had demonstrated the extent to which he was driving within himself and within the capabilities of their extraordinary car. Ferrari have not so much dominated as devoured this championship, winning 11 of the 13 races so far. Barrichello now has two victories and may have more before Schumacher is released to seek a record 10th of the season.

Schumacher said: "We were cruising and apart from that one lap I didn't force anything. It is very clear that we want to finish the job of getting Rubens' second place in the championship so I cannot be completely free to race. It makes no sense to take points from Rubens.''

The Italian team's superiority is such that the others had thrown in the towel before this decisive win, concentrating their resources on next year's effort. However, that already looks a doomed mission.

Barrichello, who has borne the brunt of Ferrari's rare lapses made an excellent start from pole position. He emerged from both his pit-stops just in front of Schumacher and held an unfailing line to the finish.

He said: "It was a dream to get away like that. The most important thing was to clinch the constructors' championship. We had a great car, a great team and did great pit-stops. There is pressure when you have the champion behind you because it is easy to make a mistake, so I had to keep my concentration.''

Schumacher had a brief tussle with his brother at the first corner, but Ralf backed off and settled to his own, lonely course to third place.

The younger Schumacher's current, dependable driving contrasts sharply with the wayward form of his team-mate, Juan Pablo Montoya. The Colombian, overshadowed all weekend by Schumacher, yielded further places in the opening skirmishes, then lost a costly scrap with McLaren-Mercedes' Kimi Raikkonen and eventually trailed in 11th.

Raikkonen was fourth, immediately ahead of his team-mate, David Coulthard. Giancarlo Fisichella was sixth for Jordan-Honda.

Coulthard took a side swipe at Montoya, saying: "There is all this hype about him and the guy is very quick, but whenever he is overtaken there is an incident. Kimi pulled a fantastic move on him and in his desperation to get back he drove off the circuit. Sometimes you have to accept that you've been overtaken. He's very erratic. Ralf has done really well.''

Allan McNish was 14th for Toyota but the rest of the United Kingdom contingent failed to go the distant. Eddie Irvine retired his sick Jaguar, while Jenson Button, of Renault, and the debutant, Anthony Davidson, of Minardi, spun out.

Davidson was within 15 laps of finishing and could not hide his disappointment. He said: "In some ways I felt I had let down the team. But I enjoyed the experience and it will be easy for me at Spa. On the grid I thought: 'Wow, I'm in Formula One'. Once the race started I got into my rhythm and was quite relaxed. That maybe caused me to go off.

"The only time I wasn't relaxed was when I was being lapped. It was like driving a Fiat Panda on the motorway, being chased by Ferraris."

RACE DETAILS

1 R Barrichello (Br) Ferrari 1hr 41min 49.001sec (ave 112.08mph, 180.364kph)
2 M Schumacher (Ger) Ferrari +0.434sec
3 R Schumacher (Ger) Williams-BMW +13.355
4 K Raikkonen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes +29.479
5 D Coulthard (GB) McLaren-Mercedes +37.800
6 G Fisichella (It) Jordan-Honda +1min 08.804sec
7 F Massa (Br) Sauber-Petronas +1:13.612; 8 J Trulli (It) Renault +1 lap; 9 N Heidfeld (Ger) Sauber-Petronas +1 lap; 10 T Sato (Japan) Jordan-Honda +1 lap; 11 J P Montoya (Col) Williams-BMW +1 lap; 12 O Panis (Fr) BAR-Honda +1 lap; 13 M Salo (Fin) Toyota +2 laps; 14 P de la Rosa (Sp) Jaguar +2 laps; 15 A McNish (GB) Toyota +2 laps; 16 M Webber (Aus) Minardi +2 laps.

Did not finish (not classified): A Davidson (GB) Minardi 58 laps; J Button (GB) Renault 30 laps; E Irvine (GB) Jaguar 23 laps; J Villeneuve (Can) BAR-Honda 20 laps.

Fastest lap: M Schumacher 1min 16.207sec (lap 72).

Manufacturers' Championship: 1 Ferrari 157pts; 2 Williams-BMW 80; 3 McLaren-Mercedes 54; 4 Renault 15; 5 Sauber 11; 6 Jordan-Honda 7; 7 BAR Honda 5; 8 Jaguar Racing 3; 9= KL Minardi, Toyota Racing, Orange Arrows 21.

Jordan team up with Ford

Ford will return to Formula One next season after Jordan agreed a three-year engine supply contract with the manufacturer.

Jordan cars will be powered by Ford Cosworth RS engines. Cosworth already supply engines to Jaguar and the financially stricken Arrows team, but Jordan will take their partnership a step further as they will carry the Ford logo on the car.

To bring about the Ford deal, Jordan was forced to reach an agreement with their current engine suppliers Honda to terminate a three-year contract with 12 months remaining.

It means Jordan and Ford will be reunited after a 12-year absence.