10 Tenths Grand Prix Preview - San Marino

[Super Tourer]

10 Tenths Grand Prix Preview – San Marino 25.04.04

Part one.

In the next of our race previews we look ahead to the San Marino GP, Imola. - Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.


2003 Race Result. – 62 Laps


1. MICHAEL SCHUMACHER - Ferrari - 62laps - 1h28m 12.058
2. KIMI RAIKKONEN - McLaren-Mercedes -62- 1.882
3. RUBENS BARRICHELLO- Ferrari -62 - 2.291
4. RALF SCHUMACHER - Williams-BMW -62 - 8.803
5. DAVID COULTHARD - McLaren-Mercedes -62 -9.411
6. FERNANDO ALONSO – Renault- 62 - 43.689
7. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA - Williams-BMW- 62- 45.271
8. JENSON BUTTON - BAR-Honda- 61 - 1 Lap
9. OLIVIER PANIS -Toyota -61 - 1 Lap
10. NICK HEIDFELD - Sauber-Petronas- 61- 1 Lap
11. HEINZ-HARALD FRENTZEN - Sauber-Petronas- 61 - 1 Lap
12. CRISTIANO DA MATTA- Toyota -61 -1 Lap
13. JARNO TRULLI- Renaut- 61 - 1 Lap
14. ANTONIO PIZZONIA- Jaguar-Cosworth -2 Laps
15. GIANCARLO FISICHELLA - Jordan-Ford - 5 Laps

Fastest Lap – Michael Schumacher – 1.22.491


Offical Retirements

R MARK WEBBER Australia Jaguar-Cosworth – Lap 54 - Driveshaft
R RALPH FIRMAN Britain Jordan-Ford - Lap 51 - Engine
R JOS VERSTAPPEN Netherlands Minardi-Cosworth - Lap38 - Electrical
R JUSTIN WILSON Britain Minardi-Cosworth -- Lap23 - Retired
R JACQUES VILLENEUVE Canada BAR-Honda Lap 19 –Engine





2003 Grid Top 10

1. Michael Schumacher Ferrari - 1:22.327

2. Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW -1:22.341

3. Rubens Barrichello Ferrari - 1:22.557

4. Juan Pablo Montoya Williams-BMW - 1:22.789

5. Mark Webber Jaguar-Cosworth -1:23.015

6 . Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes - 1:23.148

7. Jacques Villeneuve BAR-Honda - 1:23.160

8 . Fernando Alonso Renault - 1:23.169

9 . Jenson Button BAR-Honda - 1:23.381

10. Olivier Panis Toyota - 1:23.460




Key moments from the 2003 race

A difficult race for the Schumacher brothers, their mother sadly passing away during the race weekend, which obviously overshadowed on track events.

However, Micheal Schumcher won with a healthy cushion over Raikkonen, but Kimi still led the championship after this race, some 14 points ahead of Michael Schumacher who was 3rd in the standings after a lacklustre start of the season.

The race was notable for its almost total lack of overtaking, all the passing moves being made in the pits.

Mark Webber’s Jaguar was slow off the line with a software glitch (still have it this year it seems…), causing problems to those behind as they scrambled past the barely moving Jaguar. Getting off the line wasn’t a problem for Ralf Schumacher who launched himself from 2nd on the grid to lead his brother into Tamburello.

It was a day to forget for Ford as Cosworth engined cars made up the bulk of the retirements, both Minardi’s and Jordan’s along with the Jagua of Pizzonia failing to take the flag, although Fisichella was classified in the results, albeit 5 laps down.

Read a review of the 2003 race: http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr701.html


Recent winners.

2003 - Michael Schumacher - Ferrari
2002 - Michael Schumacher – Ferrari
2001 - Ralf Schumacher – Williams
2000 - Michael Schumacher – Ferrari
1999 - Michael Schumacher – Ferrari
1998 – David Coulthard – McLaren
1997 - Heinz - Harald Frentzen – Williams
1996 - Damon Hill – Williams
1995 - Damon Hill – Williams



San Marino Flashback

1963 - The first non-championship Grand Prix was held after the promoters put up a large purse for the teams. One notable absentee from the event was Ferrari.

1979 – Another non-championship Grand Prix was held at Imola, this time for more modern F1 cars as a prelude to holding a bona fide GP.


1980 – The first and last time that Imola hosted the official Italian Grand Prix, the race moving to its traditional Monza home thereafter.

1981 – Now established as the San Marino Grand Prix – the first race of this name was won by Piquet in a Brabham. The race was notable for a huge crash suffered by Gilles Villeneuve who suffered a blown tyre at Tosa and hit the barrier the car shattering on impact, but Gilles remarkably emerging unscathed.


1982 – An acrimonious race between the two Ferrari’s of Pironi and Villeneuve, saw Pironi defy team orders and hold station to win from Villeneuve. Gilles vowed not to speak to Pironi for as long as he lived, sadly this was an unfortunate prophecy as Gilles was killed in qualifying for the next race at Zolder, whilst trying to beat Pironi’s time. The race ran with a depleted grid, as ongoing F1 politics saw the FOCA aligned teams boycott the race.

1983 – A poignant victory for Tambay as he drove Ferrari no 27 to score an emotional win for the team and GV’s race number.

1987 – Piquet had a massive accident at Tamburello, the result of a blown tyre.

1989 – Berger had a huge crash in his Ferrari at the now imfamous Tamburello, the car erupted into flames and looked horrific to onlookers, luckily Gerhard escaped with relatively minor burns to his hands.

1994 – A black weekend for the circuit and F1. Rubens Barrichello had a big crash in Friday pratice and was knocked out. Roland Ratzenberger was killed in the last few minutes of qualifying.

The race itself was held in sombre mood and was a catalogue of incidents and collisions, to add to the absolute tragedy of the weekend; Ayrton Senna was killed at Tamburello, the ramifications of that crash still being felt today. One positive thing to come out of the darkness of this weekend at Imola was that it became the catalyst for improved driver safety, with new regulations on car structure and circuit safety revisions.


1995 – The first race after the tragic 1994 weekend, by this time the infamous Tamburello high speed corner, the scene of so many accidents at San Marino, was no more - replaced by a chicane.




Looking ahead to the 2004 Race

After the first series of flyaway races, we move back into Europe starting with Imola – ominously for the opposition - firmly into Ferrari’s stamping ground. Looking back at recent winners, Ferrari and Michael Schumacher have won 4 out of the last 5 races held there. However brother Ralf seems to come alive at Imola, he won the 2001 race for Williams and was on the podium in 2002 and 2003, indeed last year he had a good battle with Michael, initially leading into the first round of pitstops but fading for 3rd place in the end.

McLaren will desperately be hoping to have found some improvement in recent testing, but will the mix of corners at Imola – slow speed with high speed approaches and hard acceleration out of them – suit the slightly out of puff Mercedes engine and a chassis that is tricky under braking..?

Renault will surely be hoping to put some promising performances into hard results. Alonso needs a good qualifying performance here for one.

Who’d bet against another strong result for BAR, although William’s traditionally go well at Imola, recent patchy driver performances and reliability have blunted their edge slightly. However this could be the track that turns Ralf’s season around, after the ‘bloody mess’ of Bahrain, as Patrick Head put it.

Having said all this, anything other than another Ferrari romp would be a surprise…..





The Imola Track

The Imola circuit was created in 1950 by racing enthusiasts, who built new roads linked to the existing public highway to form the circuit, it would hold its first car race in 1954.

The Imola authorities decided to rename the circuit in honour of Enzo Ferrari's son Dino who had died in 1956. This led to support from Enzo Ferrari, the Circuit Dino Ferrari became suitably affluent allowing the track to become a permanent, closed, racing circuit. The circuit was renamed again becoming Circuit Enzo e Dino Ferrari, following Enzo Ferrari’s death.

Website:www.autodromoimola.com/


Circuit Map
http://www.formula1.com/race/circuitmap/717.html

Track length – 4.933 km
Race distance – 62 laps – 305.6 km
Lap Record. Michael Schumacher – Ferrari – 1.22.491 (2003)


Fisichella describes a lap of Imola: http://www.pitpass.com/src/circuits/imola.php



UK TV Viewing times – as of 15.04.04

Sat 24th April – ITV - 12:30 pm – qualifying – (I am presuming they are showing the 2nd hourly session LIVE)

Sun 25th April – ITV – 2pm – San Marino GP LIVE.

Catch the viewing times:www.onthebox.com




Race Weekend Timetable (local time) info: http://www.formula1.com/race/timetable/717.html

San Marino time zone is GMT + 1 Hour


Friday 22 April
11:00-12:00 Friday Practice 1

14:00-15:00 Friday Practice 2


Saturday 24 April
09:00-09:45 Saturday Practice 1

10:15-11:00 Saturday Practice 2

13:00 Saturday Pre-Qual

14:00 Saturday Qualifying


Sunday 25 April
14:00 Race



Follow the sessions with LIVE timing: http://www.formula1.com


Check the time differences. World Clock: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=732



Weather Check: http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/SMXX0001.html


Longer Term Outlook
http://www.weather.com/outlook/trave....com&par=yahoo

Race weekend outlook (as of 15.04.04)

Friday 23rd April – Partly Cloudy – 61 degrees F – rain risk 20%

Saturday 24th April – Showers - 61 degrees F – rain risk 50%




Betting Odds

World Championship
http://www.oddschecker.com/oddscheck...676x/sid/65842

[Super Tourer]

Part Two.

Tables after Bahrain GP.


2004 Drivers Championship


1. Michael Schumacher - 30

2. Rubens Barrichello - 21

3. Jenson Button - 15

4. Juan Pablo Montoya -12

5. Fernando Alonso - 11

5. = Jarno Trulli - 11

7. Ralf Schumacher -7

8. Takuma Sato - 4

8. = David Coulthard -4

10. Felipe Massa - 1

10. = Mark Webber - 1




2004 Constructors Championship

1 Ferrari - 51

2 Renault - 22

3 Williams-BMW -19

3= BAR-Honda - 19

5 McLaren-Mercedes - 4

6 Sauber-Petronas - 1

6= Jaguar-Cosworth -1



10 Tenths Tyre Maker Standings

1.Michelin - 65 pts
2.Bridgestone – 52 pts

[Adam43]

Originally posted by Super Tourer
After the first series of flyaway races, we move back into Europe – ominously for the opposition - firmly into Ferrari’s stamping ground.

Indeed and the final test before the season was the only place Ferrari gave true indication of its race pace. IIRC it was teh test where the best construction and best compound of the Bridgestones finally came together...

[Wrex]

Great stuff as always ST

And agreed Adam, looking good for the red team. One has to expect Ralf to go well here, and if not, I think his future at Williams will be all but over.

[Mr V]

I think it's all but over as it is

Imola is traditionally a place that Rafe has been the better Williams, will it be the same next weekend? I have a feeling it won't!

[grumpy1]

As usual top stuff ST.
Given M.Webbers love of this track & his team mate stating its his favorite track expect a good performance for both of them.As for Ralfie his goose is already cooked.

The Grumpy1

[D-bass]

With the weekend coming up and the next formula one race, at hand at San Marino, is it going to be Michael Schumacher and Ferrari agene, one thing is for sure we will get to see the F1 babe’s this time on like Bahrain, that will make everyone feel a bit better, but I do think that its going to be a Ferrari one and two, or is MS going to take the weekend off, and let someone else win what do you think.

By the way don’t forget to look out for the Panasonic F1 competition that starts this weekend, should be good me and one of my mates was talking about it the other day the last competition that Panasonic done, was a day out in a formula one car, that me and my friend tried to win, this time it’s designing formula one helmet’s.

[garcon]

Welcome to the forum D-bass!

You wouldn't happen to be part of the Panasonic competition looking for a cheap advert would you?

I'm sure a democratic 50% or so of this forum would love Michael to take the weekend off, but I'm afraid they're gonna have to watch his victory leap once again...

[Adam43]

Welcome to ten-tenths , I'll merge this with our preview thread...

Also the second part of your post sounds like an advert do you work for Panasonic?

[Kicking-back]

Welcome D-bass.

But please write in English.

With punctuation.

[Rennen]

Debase?...OR on Dee Bass!

[Mr V]

Originally posted by Super Tourer
UK TV Viewing times – as of 15.04.04

Sun 25th April – ITV – 2pm – San Marino GP LIVE.

As i was away this weekend, i used your guide to set the video and missed most of the race

Oh well, that will teach me to go away on a lads weekend when F1 is on

[garcon]

OOOoops!

Well, it was 2pm local time (race start, that is...)

[Super Tourer]