Formula One: Michael Schumacher put world champion Fernando Alonso in the shade for the second time in as many races on his way to victory in the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.
Ferrari ace Schumacher stalked Alonso for most of the race before unleashing a barrage of fastest laps to take the lead at the second pit stops.
He held the Renault driver off to take victory by 3.7 seconds for his second successive win, moving him within 13 points of Alonso in the championship.
Just as at Imola two weeks ago, the pair were the only genuine victory challengers but behind them Felipe Massa was in impressive form to take his first Formula One podium with third place.
McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen fell short of his dream of victory on engine partner Mercedes' home ground and he had to make do with fourth.
Rubens Barrichello was the only Honda to finish the race after Jenson Button's mechanical problem and he scored his best result of the season with fifth place, one ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella's Renault.
Rookie Nico Rosberg equalled his best finish with seventh for Williams despite starting at the back while Jacques Villeneuve completed the scoring for BMW-Sauber.
Scotsman David Coulthard lasted only three laps before retiring having been caught up in a first-turn accident. The Red Bull driver was hit by Scuderia Toro Rosso's Vitantonio Liuzzi and he had to pit for a new front wing.
Liuzzi stopped half a lap later with a puncture, bringing out the safety car and when racing resumed Coulthard immediately pulled over to retire.
Mark Webber also suffered a short race. His charge from 19th on the grid ended on lap 14 when the Australian parked his Williams with a hydraulics problem after closing in on the top 10.
With little separating the front two in the opening stages, the battle for the lead reached a crucial point on lap 16 when Alonso made his first pit stop. Schumacher had just trimmed his lead to half a second but he was unable to leapfrog Alonso in the pits.
The Spaniard earned a crucial advantage over Schumacher with a fast lap out of the pits, keeping him ahead.
Button's race was over on lap 29 when a puff of smoke signaled the end of his Honda engine on the start finish straight, with Christian Klien's Red Bull giving up a few seconds later.
Another Honda engine failed moments later when Franck Montagny's grand prix debut for Super Aguri ended with flames licking round his car.
That was overshadowed by the second round of pit stops, which saw Schumacher seize control of the race.
When Alonso made his stop on lap 38, Schumacher had three laps to claim the lead and the former world champion responded in style, setting a new fastest lap to easily jump ahead.
He extended that advantage ruthlessly in the closing stages as Alonso fell into the clutches of Massa and Raikkonen.
Behind that pack, Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher retired within seconds of each other on lap 54.