Associated Press

Barcelona, May 9:

Six-time world champion Michael Schumacher won the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday for his fifth consecutive victory, equalling Formula One’s best start to a season. It was the 75th victory and the fourth Spanish GP triumph in a row for the Ferrari driver, who equalled Nigel Mansell’s 1992 record of five season-opening wins. Rubens Barrichello was second, giving Ferrari it’s third 1-2 finish of the season. Renault drivers Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso finished third and fourth, respectively.

Schumacher leads the drivers’ standings with a perfect 50 points, ahead of Barrichello with 32. The start was filled with tension with archrivals Schumacher and Williams-BMW’s Juan Pablo Montoya leading the pack before the first turn. After 50 laps Michael Schumacher was nearly 10 seconds ahead of Barrichello and 17 ahead of Trulli. It stayed that way until the end. The next race is the Monaco Grand Prix on May 23 where Mansell’s streak was broken by Ayrton Senna in 1992.