Having drawn level on points with Renault’s Fernando Alonso at the previous race in China, Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher was leading the 2006 Japanese Grand Prix on this date ten years ago when his engine hit troubles and the seven-time world champion had to retire.
Schumacher’s first engine failure since the 2000 French Grand Prix handed Alonso the win and put the Renault ace almost out of reach with a 10-point lead (which amounted to a race victory at that time) entering the final grand prix weekend of the season in Brazil two weeks later.
