Michael Schumacher departs the Formula One stage with a mind-boggling clutch of championships and wins after yesterday’s Brazilian Grand Prix.

At the same time Fernando Alonso claimed one of Schumacher’s records, and set off in pursuit of the rest. Trackside’s Keith Collantine sees the end of one era and the beginning of another.

Michael Schumacher may retire a beaten man, but he went out in a blaze of glory.

His spectacular charge from 19th to 4th in yesterday’s Brazilian Grand Prix was a flawless demonstration of his mastery. It proved he has retired at the very top of his game.

But in Fernando Alonso the sport has a fitting new double champion and an heir to Schumacher’s crown as the greatest driver in the world.

Both drivers won the same number of races in 2006. But Alonso took the championship because he finished better on the days when his Renault wasn’t fast enough to win.

On more than one occasion the pressure Alonso brought on Schumacher took a visible toll on the German. He crashed out in Australia – something Alonso never did all year – and fumbled the race in Turkey.

And of course there was the notorious encounter in Monaco, when Schumacher was thrown to the back of the grid for trying to block the circuit. For that act alone, many felt he couldn’t be a worthy champion this year.

Alonso is only the eighth racer in the sport’s history to successfully defend a championship. He joins the illustrious ranks of Alberto Ascari, Juan Manual Fangio, Jack Brabham, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen.

The symmetry the new champion shares with Schumacher is almost spooky:

Both have brought legions of passionate fans to the sport from countries which never previously had an F1 champion. Schumacher’s record as the youngest ever double-champion has been surpassed by Alonso.

Now the Spaniard will join McLaren, a team who haven’t won a championship in years, with the aim of returning them to their glory days – just as Schumacher did at Ferrari a decade ago.

Since 1994, Formula One has been all about who could beat Michael Schumacher. From now on, it is all about who can beat Fernando Alonso.

Racing round-up

F1 Brazilian Grand Prix

Felipe Massa scored an emotional home win – the first for a Brazilian driver since the late Ayrton Senna in 1993. Alonso’s second place made him champion while Jenson Button drove a brilliant race from 14th to finish 3rd.

Champ Car World Series, Surfers’ Paradise, Australia

Sebastian Bourdais wrapped up the championship with little difficulty after rival AJ Allmendinger suffered a pit fire and British hopeful Justin Wilson failed to start after picking up a wrist injury in practice.

But it was another Frenchman, Nelson Phillipe, who won the race, becoming the youngest driver to do so in Champ Car.

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Trackside - Schumacher down but not out
Trackside - Championship clashes
Trackside - Schumacher under fire