World champion Alonso's second place, by barely half a car's length, stretched his overall lead to 12 points with four races remaining.

As the young Brazilian roared to the chequered flag from pole position, a winner at last after 66 starts, teammate and seven times champion Schumacher was locked in combat with Alonso.

He and the Spaniard ran nose to tail over the closing laps, with Schumacher vainly striving to get past as the 25-year-old repelled every effort.

After 58 laps and nearly 310 km in the searing heat, just 0.081 of a second divided the Renault and the Ferrari as they flashed across the line almost side by side.

Despite that disappointment, Ferrari still slashed Renault's lead in the constructors' championship to a mere two points. Renault now have 160 and Ferrari 158.

"Thank you boys, thank you," shouted Massa, punching the air in delight at a result that he could barely have expected when he and undisputed team number one Schumacher had lined up together on the front row.