Michael Schumacher wins European GP; fourth victory of season

Stephen Wade

Sunday, May 21, 2000 | 3:01 a.m.

NUERBURGRING, Germany - Ferrari's Michael Schumacher proved again he's Formula One's best wet-weather driver, winning Sunday's European Grand Prix in the rain for his fourth victory this season and the 39th of his career.

Starting second on a dry grid to McLaren's David Coulthard, Schumacher rode in second place behind McLaren's Mika Hakkinen - who jumped into the lead off the start - and passed him on the 11th of 67 laps just minutes after showers began.

Schumacher, who in 1995 with Benetton won his only other race here, is the only German since the world championship F1 series began 50 years ago to win a GP on this legendary circuit southwest of Cologne.

Hakkinen finished second in the first wet-weather race of the season, 13.8 seconds behind.

The rest of the field was far adrift in the slick conditions, with Coulthard third followed by Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello, Giancarlo Fischella of Benetton and Pedro De La Rosa of Arrows.

After six races, Schumacher leads the season standings with 46 points followed by Hakkinen (28) and Coulthard (24), as he shoots for his third world drivers' title and Ferrari's first since 1979.

Schumacher, won the first three races this season but watched as McLaran had 1-2 finishes in the last two in Spain and England, is within two victories of tying the late Ayrton Senna for No. 2 on the all-time win list.