Sexy Six for Schumacher!
March 18th, 2001

Michael Schumacher took his second win of 2001 and his sixth win in a row with a brilliant performance in the wet and dry Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang. He became the first driver for 48 years to win six successive Formula One Grand Prix equalling a part of the outstanding record of nine triumphs recorded by Alberto Ascari between 1952 and 1953. The defending world champion re-affirmed his position among the greatest drivers in the history of the sport.

As Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn put it in the aftermath of a dramatic and somewhat chaotic Malaysian Grand Prix, if it was not his best drive it was certainly one of his most sensational and important.

"He is exceptional, more than that really," said Eddie Jordan, the Jordan-Honda team owner who introduced Schumacher to Formula One in the 1991 Belgian Grand Prix. "Ferrari look a class apart but Michael is something else. He can deliver what he wants at the moment and, to me, it looks as if he is not yet out of second gear."

Another win would take Schumacher to seven successive triumphs and another step towards a fourth championship. This would lift him clear of the triple champions' club occupied by Jack Brabham, Niki Lauda, Nelson Piquet and Ayrton Senna and put him level with Prost, a winner of four titles. Juan-Manuel Fangio stands alone with five titles between 1951 and 1957.