Fernando Alonso had a unique way of coming back when Michael Schumacher won two races in a row -- he won the next four.
Alonso will get another chance to try to double up after Schumacher took the French Grand Prix on Sunday to win consecutive races.
Schumacher won the French Grand Prix for a record eighth time, finishing 10 seconds ahead of Alonso. Felipe Massa, Schumacher's Ferrari teammate, was third.
The victory helped Schumacher close the gap on Alonso in the standings with seven races left. Alonso has 96 points -- 17 ahead of Schumacher.
"We have clearly made up ground and we have to keep on working at that pace and for sure everybody will just keep pushing for the last seven races," Schumacher said. "It's far from being over."
After early season struggles, the seven-time world champion won the San Marino GP and the European GP. However, Alonso -- who took the title away from the German in 2005 -- then won at Spain, Monaco, Britain and Canada.
"Everybody thought that they would win all the races and then we won four consecutive races and hopefully this will happen again from the next race on," Alonso said.
With Schumacher's victories at the US GP and now in France, Alonso is looking forward to the German GP on July 30.
"Indianapolis was a strange race," Alonso said recalling the problem with the Michelin tires last year which forced his team and six others to pull out. "From the tires and the difficulties we had last year. Maybe we were too conservative or whatever. I think here we were close, but not quick enough."
Schumacher agreed.
"Indianapolis was not really the reference in a way. We were too dominant," Schumacher said.
Alonso knew he didn't have too much of a chance in France, either, as the Ferraris were quicker.
"We were two or three-tenths down compared to Michael," Alonso said. "Given where I started on the grid, I think second is everything I could have hoped for because we knew that Michael was a bit quicker this weekend."
Schumacher got away cleanly at the start and Massa did his best to stay ahead of Alonso.
"We had a great start, being first and second," Schumacher said. "It was an excellent situation to start the race."
The first indication of race strategy in the 70-lap race came at the end of the 16th lap when Massa pitted first, followed a lap later by Alonso, then by Schumacher on the 18th.
By the 23rd lap Schumacher was 6.1 seconds ahead of Massa and 11 ahead of Alonso.
The second set of pit stops started around lap 38 -- with Alonso going in after the 42nd, meaning he would be able to get to the end of the race without another stop.
"We figured the Ferraris were on a three stop," Alonso said. "We took a gamble and we believed in our consistency."
After 50 laps, Schumacher was up by 20 over Massa and 30 ahead of Alonso.
The Ferraris needed one more stop for fuel and tires. Alonso's Renault didn't and he was able to get by Massa, but trailed Schumacher by 15 seconds.
Driver Standings
(After 11 of 18 races)
1. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault, 96 points.
2. Michael Schumacher, Germany, Ferrari, 79.
3. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Renault, 46.
4. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, McLaren-Mercedes, 43.
5. Felipe Massa, Brazil, Ferrari, 42.
6. Juan Pablo Montoya, Colombia, McLaren-Mercedes, 26.
7. Jenson Button, Britain, Honda, (tied with) Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Honda, 16.
Source: AP
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