HOCKENHEIM, Germany -- World championship leader Alain Prost took advantage of the misfortune of his Williams Renault teammate Damon Hill Sunday to claim victory in the German Formula One Grand Prix.
Hill retired from the race in the penultimate lap with a blown left rear tire while holding a comfortable lead, leaving Prost to take the checkered flag in 1 hour 18 minutes 40.885 seconds at an average speed of 145.314 mph.
It was the 51st victory of the 37-year-old Frenchman's career and increased his lead in the world championship standings to 27 points over Brazilian McLaren Ford driver Ayrton Senna.
'I decided to attack Damon at the end of the race, but then I had some vibration in the straight, so I decided to slow down and finish second. Then I saw he (Hill) had a problem and I was surprised,' said Prost. 'He was very unlucky again today.'
Michael Schumacher of Germany delighted the 150,000-strong crowd by finishing second in a Benetton Ford, 16.664 seconds behind Prost, while Mark Blundell of Britain equalled his best-ever finish with third place in a Ligier Renault.
Schumacher was forced to race in the team's spare car but he still gave the home fans plenty to cheer about, and he also clocked the fastest lap of 1:41.859 at an average speed of 149.665 mph.
'The crowd has been tremendous,' said Schumacher. 'I have to pay a compliment to them. Last year I was third and this year I have finished second so maybe I can finish one place better again next year.'
Senna finished fourth despite spinning off course on the first lap while trying to avoid Prost and falling to last place. Riccardo Patrese of Italy was fifth in the second Benetton and Austria'a Gerhard Berger was sixth in a Ferrari.
'Alain and I both braked very late at the first chicane,' said Senna, who has won three races this season. 'I don't know if we touched, but we were both beyond our limit.
'I lost control and spun off. It was a pity I could have finished in the first three today.'
Hill, the son of former two-time world champion Graham, started well and raced to an early lead.
Prost picked up a 10-second stop-go penalty early in the race after missing a chicane as he sought to avoid a collision with Ligier Renault driver Martin Brundle.
'I am not just surprised about the penalty -- I am scandalized,' said Prost. 'We talked about that chicane this morning in the drivers' briefing and I went staight just to avoid an accident with Brundle.'
The Frenchman added the chicane had been discussed because reigning world champion Nigel Mansell of Britain, who changed to the American IndyCar series this season, had skipped the chicane to overtake last year. It had been decided a driver would only be disqualified if he avoided the chicane to his advantage.
Prost went into the pits to take the penalty in the 10th lap and exited in sixth place. But he had no problem advancing to second place behind Hill within eight laps.
The race continued with Hill, Prost and Schumacher in the first three positions, until Hill's tire exploded on the second-last lap and he was forced to withdraw.
Hill was also denied victory at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone two weeks ago when he had to retire with a blown engine while leading the race with 18 laps remaining.
'I had no warning at all and it is pretty difficult to win a race on three wheels,' he said. 'This is a million times worse than Silverstone for me. I didn't deserve that. If I was determined to win a race before, I am three times more determined now.'
Neither of the two Williams Renault drivers stopped to change tires throughout Sunday's German GP.
The 11th round of the 16-race Formula One season is the Hungarian Grand Prix Aug. 15.
