The 2006 Formula One season finished looking just like the beginning: A consistent Fernando Alonso in his Renault and a mishap-plagued Michael Schumacher so quick in his Ferrari.

In between, Alonso's early-season streak made it seem the championship would be a rout, but then Schumacher surged, looking for a final parting gift.

Instead, Alonso reigned as Schumacher retired.

"We have had a very tough season and a very close fight with Ferrari," Alonso told workers at the team's factory in Enstone, England in his final visit before switching to McLaren next season. "Time puts everybody in their place, and we are in (the top position) because we deserved it more than the others."

The 2007 season-opener, the Australian Grand Prix on March 18, will mark the first F1 season without Schumacher since 1991.

But there's another fast German coming up _ 19-year-old Sebastian Vettel, a test driver for BMW-Sauber. The youngest driver to participate in a grand prix weekend, he won 18 of 20 races as a 16-and 17-year old in the Formula BMW German race series.

In the meantime, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa will carry the torch at Ferrari.

At the start of the 2006 season, it looked like Ferrari was back after a dismal 2005 season, qualifying 1-2 at the Bahrain GP.

But Alonso won the race, the first of six victories in the first nine races to establish a 25-point mid-season lead.

Schumacher finished second in that opening race but had an engine problem the next race and tire problems in the season's third race.

After the Canadian GP at the end of June, it seemed Alonso was counting down to his second straight title.

Then Ferrari got it right.

Schumacher won five of the next seven races, with teammate Felipe Massa winning another.

And the bad luck shifted to Alonso. At the Hungarian GP, he lost a wheel after a wheel nut broke. At the Italian GP in September, he was penalized 10 places for blocking Massa in qualifying, then withdrew after blowing an engine.

Schumacher won that race, cutting Alonso's lead from 12 to 2 points.

After Schumacher won the Chinese GP with Alonso second it was all even at 116 points with two races left.

Schumacher even had a chance to win it all in Japan had he won and Alonso dropped out. Instead, Alonso won the race, and Schumacher's engine blew.

"I think sooner or later everyone would be put in his place," Alonso said. "I was convinced we were able to win. I had no doubts in these last couple of weeks."

Schumacher finished his 16-year Formula One career _ 91 victories, seven world titles and 68 pole positions _ surrounded by photographers and fans.

"In all the beautiful moments and the bad moments (the fans) always supported me," he said. "Over these long years it was immensely important for me, and I can only give a very big thank you to all those fans."