Ferrari rewrite Formula One record books

Alan Baldwin, Reuters, Budapest, Hungary

Ferrari says it has never had it so good after crushing its opponents in Hungary on Sunday to claim a fourth successive Formula One constructors' title.

The race may have been deemed dull by some competitors, but it did not go down that way in Maranello.

"It is the greatest moment in the history of our company," said Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo after the team's fifth one-two finish of the season.

This time it was Brazilian Rubens Barrichello leading German Michael Schumacher, who clinched his record-equalling fifth drivers' title two races ago and faster than any other competitor in the history of the sport.

"Ferrari has never been this strong," added Montezemolo.

"And, as we are a car manufacturer, winning the Constructors' Championship for four years in a row gives us the greatest satisfaction."

Ferrari is owned by Italian carmaker Fiat.

Even when team founder Enzo Ferrari was alive, the Italian 'scuderia' never enjoyed success like it has since assembling their 'dream team' in the 1990s.

Sporting director Jean Todt, technical director Ross Brawn, engine expert Paolo Martinelli and designer Rory Byrne constitute an awesomely over-achieving group.

Coupled with Schumacher, who joined in 1996 and has had the team built around him, they have entered a league of their own since the frustrations of the late 1990s when McLaren were setting the pace.

Schumacher's title win with Ferrari in 2000, the team's first drivers' crown since 1979, took the pressure off the German and he has barely put a wheel wrong since.

Schumacher is easily the most successful Ferrari driver of all time, the only one to win three drivers' titles in a row, and his partnership with Barrichello has achieved more than any other at the team.

He has won nine of the 13 races this season and is expected to become the first driver to win 10 in a year. Barrichello has claimed two more.

Never before have Ferrari won 11 races in a single championship.

The most glamorous team in the business have now finished first in the last six races and their fourth successive constructors' title, equalling McLaren's record run, took their historical tally to an unprecedented 12.

With 157 points, the team can smash McLaren's 1988 record points in a season tally of 199 as well.

Schumacher has now been on the podium for 15 races in a row, almost a full season, and finished in the points for a remarkable 18.

A Ferrari driver has finished on the podium for the past 49 races and, with Schumacher's favourite circuit Spa in Belgium next up, 50 in a row seems inevitable.

"A dream race with a dream result," said Todt of the Hungaroring, one of the easiest and least exciting races anyone is likely to see this year with the top three in qualifying finishing in that order.

Ferrari intend to keep on winning for as long as possible, determined to continue their dominance well into the future.

"For you maybe, for us never," Todt told reporters when asked whether he would ever be bored of winning.

"I think that Ferrari is not really to blame," he added, when asked whether the team's domination was the reason for television audiences turning off their sets.

"You have some stupid people who may find that they (Ferrari) are to be blamed but it's up to them. I don't want to be in their position, I prefer to be in mine.

"When I see the reaction of the public, did you see how many Ferrari flags were here today compared to any other flag?

"Clearly it is true that the championship is not as open as could be good for the sport but that has happened in the past as well."