Barrichello leads Schumacher in Ferrari double triumph

Piero Valsecchi, Associated Press, Monza, Italy

Rubens Barrichello led teammate Michael Schumacher in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix as the dominant Ferraris led throughout at the Monza circuit here to a boisterous celebration by the home fans.

It was the third season victory for the Brazilian driver as the Ferrari team captured its 13th victory in 15 championship races so far this season.

Five-time world champion Schumacher of Germany made the podium for the 15th consecutive race, including a record of 10 wins in one season.

Barrichello slowed down in the last lap to allow a comeback of the teammate and have a parade of red cars at the finish line.

Britain's Eddie Irvine placed third, in a Jaguar, 52.5 seconds behind the winner.

Irvine, a former Ferrari driver, had been the first of the lapped drivers until the next to last lap. Then Barrichello's decision to slow down and wait for Schumacher allowed him and a few others to complete the 53-lap race.

Jarno Trulli, who had started from the last row, made a sensational comeback in his Renault to take fourth place, 58.2 seconds behind.

Sunday's victory consolidated Barrichello's second place in the world drivers standings while Schumacher, the world title long assured, stretched his record of most championship points.

The Ferrari teammates alternated in the lead after each pit stop, as the opposition faded out quickly.

Ralf Schumacher, a younger brother of the German world champion who had taken the lead in the first lap taking advantage of a poor start of Colombian teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, stopped in the fourth lap with a blown engine in his Williams BMW car.

Montoya, the pole sitter, was stopped by a broken suspension after 34 laps.

Montoya, who had scored his first Formula One win at Monza last year, had been hoping to repeat his feat at the fastest circuit of the championship.

Only 10 drivers, out of 20 starters, ended the race, the 15th of the 17-round championship.