San Marino Grand Prix: 23 April
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Race Track: Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
Loaction: Imola, Italy
Raceday: Sunday, 23 April 2006
Time: 2000 (+8 GMT)
2005 winner: F Alonso
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Few circuits inspire the same adoration for motorsport as Imola. The circuit lies in the heart of Ferrari country and is a stone's throw from both Modena and Maranello. It is the home of the tifosi and a place of pilgrimage for any fan of Italian motorsport. The track has seen some memorable races over the years and although it is in Italy, the circuit plays host to the San Marino Grand Prix.
Built in 1950 by a group of motor enthusiasts, the track was simply a collection of new roads joining up existing public highways. It was not until 1954 that the first car race took place on the track. In 1963, however, the organisers collected a large purse and asked the Formula One teams if they would run in a non-championship event between the Pau and Pescara races. Most agreed, although Ferrari was notable by its absence.
The Imola Council decided to rename the circuit in honour of Enzo Ferrari's son Dino who had died in 1956. The renaming led to a loyalty from Enzo and the Circuit Dino Ferrari soon raised enough money to turn the track into a permanent closed circuit. When the great man died, the circuit was renamed, Circuit Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
1979 saw Formula One return to the track with the running of another non-championship event. In 1980, Imola hosted the Italian Grand Prix, the first and only time it would do so. 1981 saw the return of the Italian Grand Prix to Monza, but so popular was Imola that the San Marino Grand Prix was launched to make use of the circuit.
1982 saw one of the most legendary races in Formula One history. Having crashed at the corner which would later bear his name in 1981, Gilles Villeneuve returned to Imola determined to win. However, after a titanic battle his team mate at Ferrari, Didier Pironi, took the lead and won the race. Villeneuve was incensed as he claimed Pironi had broken team orders. He swore never to speak to him again. He never would. At the next race in Zolder, Villeneuve was killed in a horrifying accident in qualifying.
In 1983 Villeneuve's friend Patrick Tambay raced at Imola for Ferrari. He took Villeneuve's number 27 to victory. It was a most unlikely win, and legend says that Tambay recalled the car doing things he was not asking it to do. He said it was as if Gilles had been in the car with him. The magic of Imola was born.
In 1987 and 1989 Nelson Piquet and Gerhard Berger had big accidents at the high speed Tamburello corner. They emerged relatively unscathed, but in 1994 the corner claimed the life of one of Formula One's greatest drivers, Ayrton Senna. In one of the sport's darkest weekends Rubens Barrichello was knocked unconscious on Friday morning. Roland Ratzenberger, the much loved Austrian rookie, was tragically killed on Saturday with minutes of qualifying left. The race itself saw collisions, stray tyres in the pit lane, and, most tragically, the death of Senna.
Despite the events of 1994, Imola has retained some of its magic. It is still a marvellous circuit with corners such as Acque Minerale providing real challenges for the modern Formula One driver. The atmosphere created by the tifosi is unlike anything on earth. They live and breathe Ferrari and give Imola a special type of magic you won't find anywhere else. -
Schu leads the way in first free practice, he's almost 0.5s ahead of Wurz. And both are on Bridgestones. Kubica's up next for BMW and he's on Michelins. No running for Renault and Button so far.
Fisichella has a 'B' spec engine for the weekend while Alonso is using the same unit as in Oz. -
Friday second practice times from Imola
1. ALONSO Renault 1m25.043s
2. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1m25.371s
3. KUBICA BMW 1m25.421s
4. DAVIDSON Honda 1m25.699s
5. MASSA Ferrari 1m25.879s
6. FISICHELLA Renault 1m25.991s
7. TRULLI Toyota 1m26.029s
8. WURZ Williams 1m26.328s
9. MONTOYA McLaren 1m26.334s
10. HEIDFELD BMW 1m26.387s
11. BUTTON Honda 1m26.427s
12. RAIKKONEN McLaren 1m26.500s
13. BARRICHELLO Honda 1m26.653s
14. ALBERS Midland 1m26.783s
15. VILLENEUVE BMW 1m26.797s
16. DOORNBOS Red Bull 1m26.917s
17. ROSBERG Williams 1m26.989s
18. LIUZZI Toro Rosso 1m27.128s
19. WEBBER Williams 1m27.157s
20. COULTHARD Red Bull 1m27.503s
21. MONTEIRO Midland 1m27.544s
22. R.SCHUMACHER Toyota 1m27.639s
23. SPEED Toro Rosso 1m27.719s
24. KLIEN Red Bull 1m27.990s
25. JANI Toro Rosso 1m28.361s
26. MONDINI Midland 1m28.833s
27. SATO Super Aguri 1m29.870s
28. IDE Super Aguri 1m31.042s -
I suspect the Mclarens might have problem with the kerb at San Marino. The MP-21 seem too fragile for this track.
Juan miss out of the sat practise, wonder why. -
Fuel pressure problems.Originally posted by Gazelle:I suspect the Mclarens might have problem with the kerb at San Marino. The MP-21 seem too fragile for this track.
Juan miss out of the sat practise, wonder why. -
i think mclarens are gonna stand a good chance of winning...they are just running slow so as to conserve the engine(raikonnen's)..but they are gonna go all out come qualifying.renault will also be quick as usual..but the red cars would be quick only in qualifying as always cos they are doing their usual ploy..running super light..they wont stand a chance during the race..i hope
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The ferrari 248 has quite a fair bit of engine upgrade for this race and I am sure they will close the gap.Originally posted by perceptio:i think mclarens are gonna stand a good chance of winning...they are just running slow so as to conserve the engine(raikonnen's)..but they are gonna go all out come qualifying.renault will also be quick as usual..but the red cars would be quick only in qualifying as always cos they are doing their usual ploy..running super light..they wont stand a chance during the race..i hope -
I suspect the 2 hondas are running on very low fuel
ferrari seems to have bouced back, could tell from MS's tone in the press conference.
Kimi and Alonso will have a tough start tomorrow, potentially a collision with Massa?
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Pos No Driver Team First Second Third
1 5 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:24.598 1:22.579 1:22.795
2 12 Jenson Button Honda 1:24.480 1:23.749 1:22.988
3 11 Rubens Barrichello Honda 1:24.727 1:23.760 1:23.242
4 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:24.884 1:23.595 1:23.702
5 1 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:23.536 1:23.743 1:23.709
6 7 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:24.370 1:23.565 1:23.772
7 4 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes 1:24.960 1:23.760 1:24.021
8 3 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:24.259 1:23.190 1:24.158
9 8 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:24.446 1:23.727 1:24.172
10 9 Mark Webber Williams-Cosworth 1:24.992 1:23.718 1:24.795
11 2 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:24.434 1:23.771
12 17 Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-BMW 1:25.081 1:23.887
13 10 Nico Rosberg Williams-Cosworth 1:24.495 1:23.966
14 14 David Coulthard RBR-Ferrari 1:24.849 1:24.101
15 16 Nick Heidfeld Sauber-BMW 1:25.410 1:24.129
16 20 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Cosworth 1:24.879 1:24.520
17 15 Christian Klien RBR-Ferrari 1:25.410
18 21 Scott Speed STR-Cosworth 1:25.437
19 18 Tiago Monteiro MF1-Toyota 1:26.820
20 19 Christijan Albers MF1-Toyota 1:27.088
21 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 1:27.609
22 23 Yuji Ide Super Aguri-Honda 1:29.282 -
Hmm. Pat Symonds really screwed the pooch with that call. If he'd kept Alonso out for one more lap, Scummaker's dry spell would have continued.
And will somebody please shoot Yujidiot Ide and put him (and all of us) out of his misery? -
yea pat dropped the ball big time. I thot it was kinda obvious to keep alonso out longer than MS?Originally posted by Gedanken:Hmm. Pat Symonds really screwed the pooch with that call. If he'd kept Alonso out for one more lap, Scummaker's dry spell would have continued.
And will somebody please shoot Yujidiot Ide and put him (and all of us) out of his misery?
Ide did say he wants to be like Sato. He's doing well in being as banzai as Sato.
Super Aguri should be renamed Team Banzai. Or Team Kamikaze. -
buttons pit stop was funny... the fuel rig was stuck to the car
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i thot button's being whacked on the head by the lollipop was funnierOriginally posted by SBS9828X:buttons pit stop was funny... the fuel rig was stuck to the car -
Midland F1 ought to be renamed 'Backend F1' too.Originally posted by HENG@:Super Aguri should be renamed Team Banzai. Or Team Kamikaze. -
Originally posted by Kuali Baba:Midland F1 ought to be renamed 'Backend F1' too.
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Nah, the initials MF say it all.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:Midland F1 ought to be renamed 'Backend F1' too. -
Results from the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola:
Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired Grid Points
Drivers' standings after the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola:
1 5 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 62 1:31:06.486 1 10
2 1 Fernando Alonso Renault 62 +2.0 secs 5 8
3 4 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes 62 +15.8 secs 7 6
4 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari 62 +17.0 secs 4 5
5 3 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 62 +17.5 secs 8 4
6 9 Mark Webber Williams-Cosworth 62 +37.7 secs 10 3
7 12 Jenson Button Honda 62 +39.6 secs 2 2
8 2 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 62 +40.2 secs 11 1
9 7 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 62 +45.5 secs 6
10 11 Rubens Barrichello Honda 62 +77.8 secs 3
11 10 Nico Rosberg Williams-Cosworth 62 +79.6 secs 13
12 17 Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-BMW 62 +82.3 secs 12
13 16 Nick Heidfeld Sauber-BMW 61 +1 Lap 15
14 20 Vitantonio Liuzzi STR-Cosworth 61 +1 Lap 16
15 21 Scott Speed STR-Cosworth 61 +1 Lap 18
16 18 Tiago Monteiro MF1-Toyota 60 +2 Laps 19
Ret 14 David Coulthard RBR-Ferrari 47 Driveshaft 14
Ret 22 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 44 Spin 21
Ret 15 Christian Klien RBR-Ferrari 40 Hydraulics 17
Ret 23 Yuji Ide Super Aguri-Honda 33 Suspension 22
Ret 8 Jarno Trulli Toyota 5 Steering 9
Ret 19 Christijan Albers MF1-Toyota 0 Accident 20
Fastest Lap: Fernando Alonso 1:24.569Pos Driver Nationality Team Points
Constructors' standings after the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola:
1 Fernando Alonso Spanish Renault 36
2 Michael Schumacher German Ferrari 21
3 Kimi Räikkönen Finnish McLaren-Mercedes 18
4 Giancarlo Fisichella Italian Renault 15
4= Juan Pablo Montoya Colombian McLaren-Mercedes 15
6 Jenson Button British Honda 13
7 Felipe Massa Brazilian Ferrari 9
8 Ralf Schumacher German Toyota 7
9 Mark Webber Australian Williams-Cosworth 6
10 Nick Heidfeld German Sauber-BMW 5
10= Jacques Villeneuve Canadian Sauber-BMW 5
12 Rubens Barrichello Brazilian Honda 2
12= Nico Rosberg German Williams-Cosworth 2
14 David Coulthard British RBR-Ferrari 1
14= Christian Klien Austrian RBR-Ferrari 1Pos Constructor Points
1 Renault 51
2 McLaren-Mercedes 33
3 Ferrari 30
4 Honda 15
5 Sauber-BMW 10
6 Williams-Cosworth 8
7 Toyota 7
8 RBR-Ferrari 2 -
with ferrari winning the race, the constructor championship is now alive, and possible, a 4atal 4 way with Honda and McLaren till the cars are honed to perfection...
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Honda?! Not if they keep tossing points out of the window. Witness how they exchanged 3 points in Oz for...2 at Imola.Originally posted by SBS9828X:with ferrari winning the race, the constructor championship is now alive, and possible, a 4atal 4 way with Honda and McLaren till the cars are honed to perfection...
