Record for Schumacher

Michael Schumacher became the winningest driver in Formula One history Sunday to strengthen another championship season with victory in the Belgian Grand Prix.

The German driver won for the 52nd time in his career, breaking the mark of 51 he held with Alain Prost of France. “Actually I’m very delighted about this,” Schumacher said. “But I will be much more delighted sitting one day on a sofa, retired with a cigar and a beer, to think about it.”

Schumacher, who clinched his fourth world championship two weeks ago, finished ahead of David Coulthard in a McLaren Mercedes and Giancarlo Fisichella in a Benetton Renault.

Schumacher in his Ferrari tied the late Brazilian Ayrton Senna with a record five victories at the Belgian Grand Prix. And his eighth victory this year kept him on course to break the season record of nine he shares with Nigel Mansell of England.

Schumacher covered the 40 laps around the 4.329-mile circuit in 1 hour 15 minutes 31.935 seconds.