Alonso wins, Schumacher blows out

Renault's Fernando Alonso is set to claim a back-to-back Formula One championship as he won the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka with arch-rival Michael Schumacher crashing out with a blown engine on Sunday.

Alonso is now 10 points clear, and needing only one more from the final race in Brazil to be sure of retaining the crown he won last year.

Schumacher, who had hoped to end his career with an unprecedented eighth title, admitted that his dream was effectively over.

The engine failure was Schumacher's first in a race since the French Grand Prix of 2000.

Ferrari's Felipe Massa finished second, 16.1 seconds behind, after starting on pole position with Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella, in third place.

Source: Xinhua