French Grand Prix 2006 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Michael Schumacher continued his magnificent winning streak with a commanding victory at the French Grand Prix, leading from pole position to claim his second consecutive win and cut Fernando Alonso's championship lead to just three points. The German's dominant performance at Magny-Cours demonstrated he was driving at the peak of his powers in his final season, while Ferrari's resurgence threatened to overturn what had seemed like Alonso's inevitable march to a second consecutive title.

Starting from pole with a lap of 1:15.493, Schumacher controlled the race from start to finish with the authority of a seven-time World Champion determined to claim an unprecedented eighth crown. The Ferrari driver set the fastest lap and never looked troubled, managing his pace expertly on the challenging Magny-Cours circuit. At 37 years old, Schumacher was producing some of the finest driving of his illustrious career, demonstrating that experience and racecraft could still triumph in modern Formula 1. His back-to-back victories marked Ferrari's complete transformation from early-season strugglers to championship favorites.

Alonso drove a determined race to finish second, limiting the championship damage but unable to match Schumacher's superior pace. The Spaniard's second-place finish kept him at the top of the standings, but his once-commanding 25-point lead had evaporated to just three points in the space of two races. Felipe Massa completed the podium in third place for Ferrari, ensuring maximum constructor points and demonstrating the team's strength in depth. The race was marred by the mass damper controversy, with Ferrari having successfully protested Renault's suspension system, which was subsequently banned - a decision that many felt aided Ferrari's mid-season surge. Schumacher's victory at the home race of Renault's engine supplier intensified the championship battle heading into his home German Grand Prix.