MONZA, ITALY - Brazilian Rubens Barrichello led a Ferrari one-two in the Italian grand prix today to trigger a homecoming party for the Formula One motor racing champions. Barrichello took the chequered flag just 1.3 seconds ahead of teammate Michael Schumacher, as a red sea of fans rose to applaud aresult that had looked almost impossible at the halfway stage. It was Barrichello's first victory since the 2003 season-ending Japanese grand prix. Schumacher clinched an unprecedented seventh drivers' crown in Belgium two weeks ago. Ferrari were parading in front of their home fans with a sixth successive constructors' championship also secured. Both drivers threw their caps into the crowd from the podium, as fans lit flares and thronged the track. It was Barrichello's eighth career win, and Ferrari's 13th in 15 races this year, and it came from pole despite a gamble on tyre choice that looked to have backfired for both Ferrari drivers early in the race. "At one point I thought it was lost," admitted the Brazilian, who went into the pits after five laps to change from intermediate to dry-weather tyres after Renault's Spaniard Fernando Alonso charged into the lead. Even at the halfway stage, Barrichello was only fourth while Schumacher -- starting on dry tyres -- had to carve his way back from the rear after nudging into Jenson Button's BAR and spinning on the first lap. "It was a very interesting race, an interesting battle," Schumacher said. "Coming in second, I wouldn't have thought it would be possible." "I am so relieved and so delighted," said Barrichello, who repeated his 2002 win at Monza. "It's magic. This is the first time I have won twice at the same track and it's just as magic as the last time. "People say Formula One is boring but I don't think today was boring at all." Briton Button was third, after leading for 24 of the 53 laps, ahead of Japanese BAR teammate Takuma Sato. The 11 points catapulted the Honda-powered team into second place overall with 94 points after rivals Renault, on 91, failed to score. Schumacher has 136 points while Barrichello has 98 and is almost assured of second place. Button, on the podium for the first time since a controversy over his contested move to Williams erupted last month, has 71.
