The 2006 Formula One season was another closely contested one, with Scuderia Ferrari initially playing second fiddle to the Renault team. However, Michael Schumacher led a strong fightback for Ferrari, winning seven races over the course of the season. With just three rounds to go, Ferrari moved ahead of Renault in the constructors' championship, and it looked as though they might be able to secure another title. However, rare reliability issues and a lack of consistency in performance saw the team beaten to the title by just five points. Despite falling short of the championship, the 2006 season was still a strong one for Ferrari. They won nine races in total, with Schumacher taking seven and his teammate Felipe Massa winning two. Schumacher finished the season in second place in the drivers' championship, just two points behind Renault's Fernando Alonso, while Massa finished in third place. The season was also notable for being Schumacher's last with Ferrari, as he announced his retirement from Formula One at the end of the year. His departure marked the end of an era for the team, as Schumacher had been a central figure in their success over the previous decade. However, it also paved the way for a new generation of Ferrari drivers, including Massa and Kimi Raikkonen, who would go on to achieve further success for the team in the years to come.