That earned his first genuine win since Japan 2004, discounting the six-car parade at Indianapolis last year, and the 85th of his career.

It also rocketed him to second in the championship, 15 points behind Renault driver Alonso.

Jenson Button had looked certain to join the pair on the podium but a mix-up at his second pit stop cost him several seconds and dropped him out of contention.

He eventually took seventh place as his misfortune lifted McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya to third.

Felipe Massa equalled his best Formula One result with fourth in the other Ferrari while Kimi Raikkonen was a low-key fifth for McLaren.

Mark Webber scored points for Williams with sixth as Renault’s Giancarlo Fisichella completed the top eight.

Scotsman David Coulthard had a race to forget and retired late in the day with a driveshaft failure.

The race started with a bang as Christijan Albers’ dramatic accident brought the safety car out soon after Schumacher roared away from pole position to take an early lead.

Dutchman Albers rolled his Midland car five times but emerged unscathed after falling victim to Super Aguri rookie Yuji Ide’s ill-judged passing move. After just one lap the safety car retreated to the pits, leaving Schumacher to eke out his advantage.

Lap five brought the end of Jarno Trulli’s race. The Italian pulled his Toyota into the pits with a mechanical problem.

In front of their home fans Ferrari used team tactics in a bid to return to winning ways.

Massa held off Alonso for the first 19 laps, protecting Schumacher who was able to stretch a 13-second advantage over the world champion.

Alonso’s pace with a clear track in front of him immediately improved and when he made his stop on lap 25, he had made up enough time to leapfrog Button into second.

Button’s podium challenge faded five laps later though when he was mistakenly told to leave his pit before the Honda crew had finished refuelling.

He ripped his fuel hose from its base and had to park in pit lane while mechanics removed the nozzle.

In front of Button, who dropped to seventh, Schumacher’s speed suddenly vanished and Alonso reeled him in with ease. By lap 34 he was right on the Ferrari’s tail but could not find a way past.

After six laps behind the struggling Ferrari, Renault took a risk with an early pit stop on lap 40 in a bid to jump ahead of Schumacher.

But their gamble failed when Ferrari called Schumacher in a lap later and he emerged just ahead of Alonso.

The Spaniard harried Schumacher all the way to the flag but could not squeeze past safely.

With a hefty world championship lead to protect he could have played it safe but the 24-year-old almost threw away eight points with four laps remaining when he ran wide.

He survived that moment but had given Schumacher enough breathing space to reach the chequered flag unscathed.