The 2006 Formula 1 season was a close-fought battle between Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher, racing for Renault and Ferrari, respectively. Trading wins back and forth through the season with just a few breakthroughs by Felipe Massa, Giancarlo Fisichella, and Jenson Button (the only non-Renault/non-Ferrari racer to win a race in the season), the two remained closely tied up to the end of the season, when Alonso finally took his second Formula 1 championship title. This gave Renault the points they needed for a win in the Constructors championship as well, pulling another one over on the racers in red. The 2006 championship also marked the 60th year of F1, and was the first official retirement of Michael Schumacher, who would eventually return in 2010 to take no higher than 8th place for 3 years and retire again in 2012.
