2006 F1 Season
18 races · Renault R26
The 2006 season delivered Michael Schumacher's last great duel before his first retirement, a thrilling head-to-head with Fernando Alonso that ran to the end of the year. Both won exactly seven races in a fight of the very highest level.
The Kaiser, with an ever-improving Ferrari, produced a memorable comeback in the second half of the season and drew level in the battle. The turning point was Japan: while leading the race, with the championship seemingly tilting his way, his engine — bulletproof for years — expired unexpectedly.
Alonso seized the gift and sealed his second consecutive world title in Brazil, confirming himself as the great heir. Soon after, Schumacher retired for the first time, closing an unrepeatable chapter of the sport.
Drivers' Champion
Fernando Alonso
Renault R26
Constructors' Champion
Renault
18 races
Key moment
"Schumacher's engine explodes in Japan — the turning point that cost him an eighth title."
What if 2006 had been raced 100 times?
We took the real 2006 grid — every car with its performance and reliability, every driver with his rating — and re-ran the full 17-race championship 100 times.
| Driver | Avg. finish | Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Michael SchumacherFerrari | P1.5 | 52% |
| Fernando Alonsoreal championRenault | P1.5 | 47% |
| Felipe MassaFerrari | P3 | 1% |
| Giancarlo FisichellaRenault | P4.3 | 0% |
| Kimi RäikkönenMcLaren | P4.6 | 0% |
| Jenson ButtonHonda | P6.5 | 0% |
The engine disagrees with history: its favourite was Michael Schumacher (52%), and Fernando Alonso only wins 47% of the time. That title was won with something a table cannot hold.
Tags
What if Senna, Hamilton or Alonso had driven the 2006 championship-winning car?