Schumi's Humour Leaves Rivals Glum

It was the obvious question to ask and Michael Schumacher broke into a spontaneous grin as the journalist at the post-race press conference piped up: "Michael, after a race like that, why are you retiring?"

The German momentarily basked in the afterglow of the compliment before replying in similar vein. "I explained myself pretty extensively at Monza," he said. "It is very nice of you to ask the question and it is maybe better to go while you are still asking the question rather than you hint it is time to go."

Everybody dissolved into gales of laughter, apart from Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella, who had finished the day roundly defeated in their Renaults in second and third places respectively. They tried to look sanguine and forced the odd grin as Schumacher continued his account of the race, but in truth they looked absolutely desolate.

"After the start I was surprised to find that I could match the pace of those ahead of me, which was better than I had expected," said Schumacher. "After a while I was able to close up on Fisichella. I thought that if I could pass him, even if I could not win, then at least I would only lose two points to Fernando and given where I started that would have been a good result.

"In the final laps I drove very carefully. I had a good gap but the track conditions were getting difficult. However, I was never worried about getting caught. Now we go to Suzuka, a track that I love. But it is difficult to make any predictions and, as usual, tyre performance will be crucial."

Alonso was doubly frustrated because he knew that he had had the pace to win the race and that his championship ambitions had been badly damaged by his ill-fortune. "For sure today we lost one big opportunity. I had these laps when I was completely off the pace and too slow and I think the race finished then," he said.

"We had a good start, a good 15 laps, but then we decided to change the front tyres because the left one was worn. The other guys left the tyres. I thought that it would take only four laps to wear the new tyres in but it took eight or nine and that was too many and Giancarlo and Michael came up very quick."

Alonso believes that his car is equal to the Ferrari in performance but added: "Each race is dominated by tyres, so hopefully Michelin can give us something more for the last two races."

Behind Fisichella, Jenson Button was satisfied with his fourth place, matching his starting-grid position. The British driver had lined up alongside his Honda team-mate, Rubens Barrichello, after they had recorded lap times equal to three decimal points, but he admitted that his early optimism was quickly dashed once the race got under way.

"Initially the car felt really good; I was pulling away from the field well and staying in touch with the cars in front," said Button. "Then I started to struggle with the rear tyres, which were practically bald, so I had to come in early for my first pit stop. I had no rear grip and because of that I was losing three seconds or more a lap. In the dry there was only one line and from that point I was just in my element really.

"Into the last corner I was in front of Rubens and [Pedro] de la Rosa and I came down the inside of [Nick] Heidfeld, turned into the corner and when I looked into my mirrors I could see the people behind me were going straight on and into each other.

"There are a few areas where we are weak which we need to work on but we are still fired up for our home race in Japan next weekend."