By Phil Giles
October 22 2006

The last round of the 2006 World Championship sees Fernando Alonso requiring a single point to claim a back to back drivers championship. Out to stop him in his last race is Ferrari's Michael Schumacher just 10 points behind.

Spykers Christijan Albers and Tiago Monteiro line up 17th and 21st. Despite not setting a time in Qualifying, Robert Doornbos takes an engine penalty so Tiago won't start from the back.

Here's the last race of the season, lap by lap (near as damnit!)

Martins Grid Walk...
Kimi Raikonnen in personality shocker. It would appear that Kimi has taken a few lessons from Ozzy Osbourne. When asked if he was interested in Pele's presentation to Schumacher, Kimi replied "I couldn't give a S@*t!"

Parade Lap
Despite the tickertape and carrier bags floating around the circuit, it would appear that the track is green. Everyone (even Tiago) has got round safely and we'll be go shortly.

Lap 1
Nico Rosberg and Mark Webber seem to have tangled at the start. Schumacher up to seventh. Alsono keeps position.

Lap 2
Safety Car. Nico Rosberg has put it into the wall. We'll have effectively a restart once the debris has been cleaned away.
Webber has retired.

Lap 3
Still under the safety car. Sato has leapfrogged Albers as has Coulthard.

Lap 5
Safety Car should come in this lap.
Massa slows them up. No one can overtake until the start finish line.

Lap 6
Fisi and Schumacher having a ding dong. Fisi must keep Schuey of Fernando's back.

Lap 7
Monteiro falling away from behind Doornbos. 3.2 seconds

Lap 8
Schumacher has a puncture. He's going slowly back to the pit. They'll change the tyre but it's put him dead last.

Lap 10
Schumacher lapped by his team mate.
Raikonnen 6 seconds behind Massa.

Lap 11
Both Toyota's have retired from the race.
Albers is 14th with a long way to go yet.

Lap 12
Massa sets another fastest lap and is now 10 seconds ahead of Raikonnen. Alonso is 2 seconds behind

Lap 13
Coulthard travelling slowly. Another retirement?

Lap 15
Massa has lost almost a second behind Schumacher.

Lap 16
Coulthard has retired. Gearbox problem.

Lap 18
Raikonnen has started to close the gap on Massa

Lap 19
Albers up to 13th place. 8 tenths behind Sato.

Lap 21.
Raikonnen Pits. Alonso moves up to second. Barichello and Fisi pit too. They leave the pit lane side by side.

Lap 22
Monteiro falling further behind Doornbos.

Lap 23
Massa due to pit. 8.3 seconds. Alonso should lead briefly.

Lap 25
Button Pits
Leap frogs Fisichella and Barichello.

Lap 26
Alonso pits. Massa takes the lead again.
Albers pits

Lap 28
Button passes Raikonnen in Turn 1.

Lap 30
Scott Speed and Kubica have come together. A new nosecone required for the Polish driver

Lap 31
Monteiro yet to pit is in front of Sato. Albers appears to be dropping back again.

Lap 32
Liuzzi pits

Lap 33
Speed pits

Lap 35
De la Rosa pits.
Monteiro is 11th. He's on a single stop. He has still yet to pit.

Lap 37
Schumacher sets the fastest lap and has taken 8th place.

Lap 38
Heidfeld pits for a new nosecone.

Lap 39
Schumacher up to 7th but makes a mistake allowing Kubica back through.

Lap 40
Monteiro pits for the first time.

Lap 41
Schumacher takes the place back from Kubica

Lap 42
Massa has a 25 second lead over Alonso. Fernando just needs to keep it on the grey.

Lap 43
Sato is up to 10th. Spyker just haven't got the speed to make any inroads in this race.

Lap 45
Barichello pits.

Lap 47
Yamamoto pits as does Michael Schumacher.

Lap 49
Sato has pitted as Albers pits along with Fisichella.

Lap 50
Schumacher puts in another fastest lap. 1m 12.385

Lap 51
Raikonnen pits. Massa and Alonso need to pit too.

Lap 52
Massa pits. Albers and Monteiro driving in convoy.

Lap 52
Alonso puts in a faster lap. No doubt he needs to pit soon.

Lap 54
Alonso pits as does Liuzzi.

Lap 55
Albers holds up Button allowing Alonso to hold onto second. Speed pits.

Lap 57
Schumacher off line again. Dropping him back from Fisichella

Lap 59
How many more times can James Allen tell us that it's Schumacher's last race?

Lap 60
Albers goes very wide in turn one.

Lap 61
Ten laps to go.

Lap 62
Fisi goes in far too deep in the first corner releasing Schumacher to chase down Raikonnen who is in 4th.

Lap 63
Schumacher bites a second off Raikonnen.

Lap 64
Heidfeld's rear suspension fails throwing him off the track at turn 1.

Lap 66
Schumacher attempts an overtake on Raikonnen. He doesn't make it but it's very close.

Lap 67
Raikonnen keeps Schumacher honest into turn one.

Lap 68
Schumacher takes Raikonnen into turn one for fourth place.

Lap 69
Massa scampers away into the distance.

Lap 70
Schumacher sets another fastest lap. Button still on for a podium

Lap 71
Massa wins. Alonso is second taking his second World Championship. Renault also take the Constructors Championship. What a race.

What a season.  That's it for another year.  We have to wait for March 2007 to see what the future holds for the Spyker F1 Team.  Let's hope that we can build on this year and get that elusive point next year.