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Schumacher enjoys Indianapolis victory

Michael Schumacher has narrowed Fernando Alonso's overall lead to 19 points
Michael Schumacher has narrowed Fernando Alonso's overall lead to 19 points

Michael Schumacher put his world championship challenge back on track by leading home a Ferrari one-two in a dramatic United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis.

Ferrari dominated and Schumacher cruised to his third win of the season, winning by 7.9 seconds from his team-mate Felipe Massa.

That ended Fernando Alonso's run of four consecutive victories, slashing his championship lead to 19 points in the process.

The Renault driver could only manage fifth place, his first finish off the podium since Hungary last July, 16 races ago.

Alonso's team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella proved Renault had podium pace though by taking third, denying Jarno Trulli a rostrum after a remarkable performance.

The Toyota driver started from the pit lane but weaved his way through carnage on lap one and crept up the field to score the best result of his season.

Toyota would have had more points but for Ralf Schumacher's late retirement, which lifted Alonso up one place and restricted the damage to Renault's constructors' title lead, which stands at 26.

Ralf Schumacher's late heartbreak gave Honda reason to smile by promoting Rubens Barrichello into sixth as they scored for the first time since May.

David Coulthard was seventh for Red Bull after a quiet race while Vitantonio Liuzzi scored Scuderia Toro Rosso's first Formula One point.

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