Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher will retire at the end of the current season, his Ferrari team announced after his victory at Monza today.
Schumacher sensationally kept in contention for an eighth world drivers’ title by closing the gap to Spain’s Fernando Alonso to two points in what was his 90th career Formula One victory.
The 37-year-old German, who in emotional scenes at the old Autodromo Nazionale hugged his wife Corinna, Ferrari team president Luca di Montezmolo and team chief Jean Todt, announced his retirement as he crossed the line.
In a statement, Ferrari said: “Michael Schumacher will retire from race driving at the end of the 2006 world championship.”
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There are three grands prix still left in the current season - in China on October 1, Japan on October 8 and Brazil on October 22. Schumacher is expected to compete in his last race in Brazil.
The German will now prepare to bring the curtain down on 15 years of almost unrivalled, statistical domination of the sport. To his millions of fans worldwide, it is perhaps fitting then that Schumacher’s Ferrari team made the announcement at Monza, the scene of many famous moments in his story.
Sunday’s achievement was his fifth win at the famed Italian circuit.
An emotional but controlled Schumacher said afterwards: “There has been a lot of discussion for a long time about my decision to retire. And all the motor sport people have a right to have an explanation of what will happen.
“You have to find the moment, and we feel this is the right moment. It’s going to be my last Monza race. I have decided with the team that I’m going to retire from racing.”
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He added: “I have loved all the good times and the bad moments which makes life so special. I would like to thank my dad and my mum and kids who have supported me.
“Without their strength, it would have been impossible. I cannot thank my family enough but also to all my mates at (former team) Benetton and at Ferrari and I have so many great friends there. It has been so great but the day had to come and I felt that this was the moment ... now I would like to concentrate on the three races and finish it in style and hopefully with the championship.”
The German’s final season has been one which has seen a resurgence in his driving, and after Alonso’s domination last year it appears that, as Schumacher has predicted, the title will go right down to the wire.
Schumacher added: “It’s a championship which started difficult in the beginning, and now we’re only two points behind (Alonso) with three races to go. We are 100 percent focused on the contructors and the drivers’ championship.”