German Grand Prix 2002 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Michael Schumacher celebrated his fifth world title with another dominant victory at Hockenheim, delighting his home fans with a commanding performance that underlined Ferrari's superiority. The newly-crowned champion controlled the German Grand Prix from pole position, never seriously challenged as he cruised to his tenth win of the season on the redesigned, shorter Hockenheim circuit. The passionate German crowd celebrated wildly as their hero completed a perfect weekend, combining his championship triumph with victory on home soil.

The Williams-BMW drivers claimed second and third places, with Juan Pablo Montoya holding off teammate Ralf Schumacher in a tactical battle throughout the race. The Colombian used his characteristically aggressive style to maintain track position despite the younger Schumacher brother's attempts to overtake on the high-speed straights. Their podium finishes represented Williams' best collective result since Malaysia, offering brief encouragement that they remained Ferrari's closest challengers despite the massive points deficit.

Schumacher's Hockenheim victory extended his winning margin over the field and demonstrated that becoming champion hadn't diminished his hunger for success. Rubens Barrichello endured a frustrating retirement with mechanical issues, denying Ferrari another potential one-two finish. The race's processional nature exemplified the season's competitive imbalance, with Schumacher so far ahead that the remaining six races served merely as a Ferrari demonstration tour rather than meaningful championship competition.