The race was won by Spain's double F1 world champion Alonso of Spain for McLaren Mercedes followed by Brazilian second placer Felipe Massa for Ferrari. (Xinhua/REuters Photo)

    BERLIN, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Formula One double champion Fernando Alonso won a rainy race of European Grand Prix near Western German city of Nurburgring on Sunday, slashing his McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton's championship lead from 12 points to two.

    Sunday's race encountered a rare torrential rain, resulting in the first red flag for nine years for the Grand Prix.

    Alonso, known as a rain master, triumphed when the greatest level of skill and concentration was demanded in such bad weather.

    The 26-year-old Spaniard celebrated his third victory of the season, after a wheel-banging thrust past Ferrari's Felipe Massa just four laps from the finish.

    Briton rookie Hamilton, who suffered a heavy crash a day earlier during the qualifying race, finished ninth and lapped in a race thrown into chaos by rain just after the start and in the closing stages.

    Brazilian Massa finished second with Mark Webber of Australia fending off Austrian Alexander Wurz's Williams to take a morale-boosting third place for Red Bull.

    Hamilton has 70 points, Alonso 68 and Massa 59.

    "I like the rain, there's no doubt. Always when it rains I'm quite happy and have some fun," said Alonso, who takes his career tally of wins to 18.

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