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2006 FORMULA 1: SAN MARINO GP

2006 RACE RESULT

• RACE APRIL 23, 2006
  1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari B
  2 Fernando Alonso Renault M +2.09s
  3 Juan Montoya McLaren Mercedes M +15.8s
  4 Felippe Massa Ferrari B
  5 Kimi Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes M
  6 Mark Webber Williams Cosworth M
  7 Jenson Button Honda M
  8 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault M
  9 Ralf Schumacher Toyota B
  10 Rubens Barrichello Honda M
  11 Nico Rosberg Williams Cosworth
  12 Villeneuve 13 Heidfeld 14 Liuzzi 15 Speed 16 Monteiro
  DNF Trulli
  Coulthard
  Albers
  Ide
  Klien
  Sato

FERRARI RACE REPORT (TOP OF PAGE)

• First win of the season for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. This is the Scuderia's eighth San Marino Grand Prix victory, the 184th from 727 Grand Prix starts. Michael Schumacher took his eighty fifth career win, the seventh at Imola.
• Jean Todt: "When I was going up to the podium, I said to Michael that I could not remember the way anymore, as it had been such a long time since the last victory! This result comes courtesy of all the hard work over the past few weeks carried out by the team and our partners, first and foremost Bridgestone and Shell and it was made all the better coming in front of so many of our fans and employees who filled their own grandstand here."
• "Michael secured a fantastic win, rounded off with a good fourth place from Felipe. We had expected it to be cooler and the heat saw us suffer a bit, which shows how just the smallest variation in temperature can affect the pecking order. It's and odd thing to say, but in Australia we wanted it hotter and it was cool and here we have the opposite!"
• "This result is very encouraging for the future and is a great boost. There are fourteen races still to fight for and we know that if all the parts of the jigsaw puzzle are in place, then we can look for the wins in order to meet our targets."
• Michael Schumacher: "I am very happy! The result shows that work pays off and that the effort put in by everyone - the team and our partners - has delivered its reward. The key moment was staying ahead after the second pit stop. As we saw last year, overtaking at this track it's almost impossible, unless the guy in front makes a mistake."
• "With all my years of experience, I knew that what I wanted to do was keep Alonso behind me, but at my pace, not pushing flat out and that's what I did. At this time I had a bit of graining, as had been the case in free practice and now we must work out what caused it. I hope we can keep up this standard in the coming races and I think that from now on, we will be very competitive."
• Felipe Massa: "It was a very difficult race, but it turned out well for Ferrari in the end. Michael's win and my fourth place make a very nice result. I would have liked to have been on the podium, but I am still pleased with this as it was important to bring so many points home. I had some problems in my second stint, but in the third one I could push as hard as I wanted again."
• Ross Brawn: "Naturally, we are very happy with this result. Winning in front of our fans is something very special. It was a very tough race and the team did a great job in Michael's final pit stop, which got him back out on track ahead of Alonso. We struggled a bit in the second part of the race, probably because of the tyres, and we could not maintain the pace we had in the first stint. In these laps, Michael drove perfectly, managing to keep Alonso behind him."
• "Felipe drove a strong race. He had some difficult moments but he proved capable of getting out of them in fine form, driving very well. A fantastic result down to great work from the team, from Bridgestone and from Shell. It is the first "real" win for a car designed by Aldo Costa, which is particularly pleasing. Let's hope this is a good omen for the rest of the season."

RENAULT RACE REPORT (TOP OF PAGE)

• The Renault F1 Team took nine points from a dramatic tactical battle in Imola this afternoon, during the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix.
• In a spectacular reversal of last year's result, Fernando Alonso's faster Renault R26 shadowed winner Michael Schumacher's Ferrari to the flag, having closed up a lead of almost 15 seconds that the German had built during the opening stint.
• However, the Imola circuit is known for being one on which it is almost impossible to overtake, and the Spaniard's only hope was to try and pressure his rival into a mistake that never came. However, Fernando's second-place finish extends his championship lead over his nearest rivals, and he has scored 36 points from 40 possible.
• Giancarlo Fisichella went into the race knowing he would have a difficult afternoon starting from 11th position on the grid. His R26 failed to show its true pace during the long opening stint of the race, when he struggled for grip, but after that he was able to make up ground on the competitors around him to take the final points-paying position.
• The Renault F1 Team now has 51 points in the Constructors' Championship, a lead of 18 points over its closest rival.
• Fernando Alonso, 2nd position: "Second place and eight points is a perfect result for me this afternoon. We suspected that we had qualified with more fuel than the others, and the race showed we were right to pick that strategy. At a normal circuit, we could have won but this is Imola where overtaking is almost impossible."
• "I could see that I was much faster than Michael in the second stint, and I was just trying to put pressure on him, hoping he would make a mistake. We did not plan to make our second stop when we did -- we pitted early to try and overtake him but it didn't quite work. So I stayed in his slipstream and in the last five laps, put all the revs on the engine and tried to overtake. But the Ferrari was a lot quicker again at the end, and it didn't happen."
• "Looking at the championship, though, this is perfect. My closest rivals at the start of the weekend were Fisichella and Raikkonen, and I have taken points from both of them. I am happy with this, and I know we will be stronger again in the Nuerburgring.
• Giancarlo Fisichella, 8th position: "This was a race to try and recover what happened in qualifying yesterday afternoon and I cannot be happy to finish eighth, but I still got into the points. The start was fantastic but I got crowded out as others drivers closed the door, and then struggled with the grip in the first stint. We took off some front wing at the stop, and then the pace was in the car."
• "I was much faster and started to make up a lot of ground because we ran further than the other cars, but in the end, there were only a couple of seconds in it at the second stop -- and I came out just behind Button and Webber. The race showed the speed is there in the car, though, and I think we can have a much stronger weekend in Germany in two weeks."
• Flavio Briatore, Managing Director: "The Renault was very competitive this afternoon, and we only just lost out to Ferrari on a circuit where overtaking is so difficult. Fernando did everything he could, but we just didn't quite have the answers we needed to beat Michael this afternoon."
• "Fisico was always going to have a hard day, but did his best to get to the points, and managed it. We had both cars in the points, Fernando has a big lead in the drivers' championship, and it was another good team performance today."

HONDA RACE REPORT (TOP OF PAGE)

• The Honda Racing F1 Team's Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello ended today's San Marino Grand Prix in 7th and 10th positions after pitstop problems overshadowed a good step forward in car race speed.
• After lining up on the 1st and 2nd rows of the grid, Jenson maintained position through the opening lap whilst Rubens got a bad start and lost two places. During the opening stint of the race, both cars demonstrated good pace and confirmed a sound strategy, but the team went on to encounter a series of problems in the pits.
• At Rubens' first pitstop his fuel rig failed to deliver so the team rapidly switched to Jenson's rig. At Jenson's first stop there was a problem with the right rear wheel nut and then in his second stop the lollipop was lifted momentarily before the fuel nozzle was disconnected.
• As the car pulled away, a number of mechanics were hit by the fuel hose and knocked over. Some fuel was spilt, but thankfully no one was seriously hurt and fire extinguishers were instantly on stand-by but fortunately were not required.
• Jenson Button: "There is no doubt that we missed out on the chance of a podium today as the car was quick and we had a good strategy. I had a problem at the first pitstop with the right rear wheel going on and then in the second pitstop the lollipop was raised before the fuel hose was disconnected."
• "Unfortunately when that happens, it takes all of the pit crew with it. The Chief Mechanic has lifted the lollipop perfectly hundreds of times before and I know he'll make sure this never happens again. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt and I know the boys will be back giving it their all at the next race."
• "Today has been disappointing but we had the pace and we have certainly moved forward a lot since Australia. We've said this many times before but we just have to stay focused and keep pushing."
• Rubens Barrichello: "It was disappointing for us today at the end of what has been a strong weekend. I had a bad start and then lost a lot of time at my first pit stop. The nozzle failed and the team had to switch me to the other one."
• "The pace of the car was okay, particularly on the first run, but it was a bit more difficult in the middle section. The lack of pace was due to the rear tyres locking; even though the brakes have got a lot better, the rears were locking on new tyres. However, the balance of the car is better so we are getting stronger, we just need to work hard at the areas which are catching us out."
• "If it wasn't for the problems with fuelling today, I could have finished in the top six. The team is working well and we're much happier with the tyre-warming issues, so we should make a fresh start in Nürburgring in two weeks."
• Gil de Ferran, Sporting Director: "Needless to say this was a difficult day for us when unfortunately it all went wrong in the pits. On his first stop, Rubens had a fuel rig failure and on Jenson's second stop the problems were more dramatic but thankfully no one was hurt as a result of the incident."
• "We are certainly all disappointed with the final results, however if we had not had such an uncharacteristically bad day in the pits we would most likely have been fighting for a podium position. Our car pace this weekend was competitive and it is onwards and upwards to the Nürburgring now."

TOYOTA RACE REPORT (TOP OF PAGE)

• Panasonic Toyota Racing suffered a frustrating afternoon's work in the San Marino Grand Prix. Both Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli qualified in the top ten but they endured mixed fortunes under the sun at Imola. Ralf narrowly missed out on the points, taking 9th place after a battling race on a three-stop strategy. Jarno suffered a problem with his steering column and was forced to retire early on. Toyota is scheduled to test at France's Paul Ricard circuit next week as it bids to make steps forward for the coming races. Then the team will look to bounce back with a stronger performance at the European Grand Prix in two weeks' time.
• SAN ZERO: Ralf Schumacher raced strongly on a three-stop strategy on his way to an eventual 9th place, just outside the points.
• Ralf Schumacher (Car 7, Chassis TF106/05) 9th
• "It is a pity that we missed out on the points but that was not the best afternoon for me. We had a very aggressive strategy but circumstances played against us. We were a bit unlucky with traffic and the safety car didn't help us but we also struggled for grip in the early stints. The pace improved in the latter stages when I was gaining ground on Fisichella and Button so there must be some problem. I don't think it is related to the tyres because other Bridgestone teams did a good job so we need to investigate where the issue lies. We will test some new items next week and I believe we can improve at the European Grand Prix."
• COLUMN FLINCHES: Jarno Trulli's run of misfortune in 2006 continued as he had to retire on lap 5 with a problem with his steering column.
• Jarno Trulli (Car 8, Chassis TF106/04): DNF
• "A lot of bad luck seems to be coming my way at the moment and today was no exception. We still have to investigate exactly what happened but something seemed to go wrong with the steering column and that meant I had to retire. It's a pity because we have been looking good all weekend and I was confident that we could have had a better day today. I made a very good start and I made up a place on Raikkonen as I went through the field. Unfortunately the car in front had a moment at the first corner so I had to slow down. It's frustrating because whatever I do, something goes wrong. But I will keep pushing because I know that the team and the package are good. Once everything starts working for me I know I will have a lot of success."
• VARIANTE CLIMAX: Panasonic Toyota Racing endured a frustrating afternoon at Imola, narrowly missing out on increasing its points haul.
• Tsutomu Tomita - Team Principal: "It was a disappointing Sunday for us and the results were not so good. But I'm sure that our car is quicker than it was able to show today. It performed well this weekend and was well matched to the Bridgestone tyre in the conditions. Unfortunately the race started very badly when Jarno had to stop with a mechanical problem with his steering column. We are very disappointed about that so apologies to him. Ralf raced hard on a three-stop strategy which should work here because of the short pit lane. However you risk losing out if you have a safety car in the first stint, which is exactly what happened. That meant the strategy was hampered early on. He had some inconsistency with grip during the race which we need to investigate but Ralf's pace in the last stint when he was free of traffic was good and encouraging. I am sure that our car has the potential to bring better results in the next few races. Nonetheless we clearly need to develop further and push hard to improve perf
  ormance during the coming tests."

2006 QUALIFYING     (TOP OF PAGE)

• SCHUMACHER'S WORLD RECORD 66TH CAREER POLE
  He surpassed the previous all time pole record of Ayrton Senna (65 poles). "It is very nice to be back on pole again and of course, the fact it is my 66th and so a new record is something very special for me" M SCHUMACHER

GRID

• 1 Michael Schumacher (GER) Ferrari 1:22.795
  2 J Button (UK) Honda 1:22.988
  3 R Barrichello (BRA) Honda 1:23.242
  4 F Massa (BRA) Ferrari 1:23.702
  5 F Alonso (SPA) Renault 1:23.709
  6 R Schumacher (GER) Toyota 1:23.772
  7 JP Montoya (COL) McLaren 1:24.021
  8 K Raikkonen (FIN) McLaren 1:24.158
  9 J Trulli (ITA) Toyota 1:24.172
  10 M Webber (AUS) T Rosso 1:25.205
• ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  11 G Fisichella (ITA) Renault 1:23.711
  12 J Villeneuve (Can) Sauber 1:23.877
  13 N Rosberg (GER) Williams 1:23.966
  14 D Coulthard (UK) Red Bull 1:24.101
  15 N Heidfeld (GER) Sauber 1:24.129
  16 V Liuzzi (ITA) T Rosso 1:24.520
• ----------------------------------------------------------------------
  17 C Klien (AUT) Red Bull 1:25.410
  18 S Speed (USA) T Rosso 1:25.437
  19 T Monteiro (POR) Midland 1:26.820
  20 C Albers (NED) Midland 1:27.088
  21 T Sato (JAP) S Aguri 1:27.609
  21 Y Ide (JAP) S Aguri 1:29.282

FERRARI QUALIFYING REPORT (TOP OF PAGE)

• Second pole position of the season for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, following on from the one in Sakhir, both of them courtesy of Michael Schumacher. This is the sixth time that a Ferrari starts the San Marino Grand Prix from pole. Michael took the sixty sixth pole of his career: an outright record.
• Jean Todt: "A marvellous qualifying with a great performance from Michael. Felipe did well, but he was unable to exploit the full potential of the car in the final part of the session. When all elements of the package - drivers, team, chassis, car and tyres - all work at their best, then the results follow."
• "Today we have made a major step forward and it was nice to do so in front of our fans and our employees, packed into their own grandstand here. But the crucial step comes tomorrow."
• "Everything is in place for us to do well, but we know there are many important factors to take into consideration, first and foremost strategy and reliability. All we can say is that, for the moment, Ferrari and its technical partners, especially Bridgestone and Shell, are working in the right direction."
• Michael Schumacher: "We have worked very hard in recent weeks, so it's wonderful to see it all come right for us. But to be honest, I am not surprised that we have done well. It is very nice to be back on pole again and of course, the fact it is my 66th and so a new record is something very special for me."
• "At the moment, I am concentrating totally on this weekend so I think I will only really appreciate fully what I have done at a later time. Yesterday, I said I was aiming for pole and the win. Today we have reached the first target and I hope I can make the second one tomorrow. I am convinced we have a good chance of winning."
• Felipe Massa: "To be honest, I'm not happy. On both my laps with new tyres I had traffic and did not make the most of what I had to work with. The car, the engine and the Bridgestone tyres were certainly worth a place in the top three. Fourth is definitely not a disaster, but I cannot be happy with it. All the same, I am optimistic for the race. We have what we need to get a good result."
• Ross Brawn: "Very pleased with this result. Everything went well today in terms of our programme. The Bridgestone tyres worked particularly well and I think we can have a strong race and we can look to tomorrow with confidence. Michael's time was fantastic."
• "It's a shame that Felipe never got a clean lap in the final part of qualifying, because of traffic. He still did a good time, given the circumstances. The cars were well balanced and there is cause for optimism for tomorrow."

HONDA QUALIFYING REPORT (TOP OF PAGE)

• The Honda Racing F1 Team will start tomorrow's San Marino Grand Prix from the 1st and 2nd rows of the grid after Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello were the 2nd and 3rd fastest drivers in this afternoon's qualifying session. Both drivers experienced a solid morning's preparation in the concluding hour of free practice which laid the foundations for a great qualifying performance.
• The knock-out format was as tense as ever and in the closing stages of the second session the drivers from positions 5 to 11 were within just a tenth of a second of each other as they battled to remain in the top 10.
• Jenson Button: "I'm very pleased with the result today and to see both of us in the top three is great for the team. The car was a lot better in qualifying than this morning and the first half of the weekend generally, especially in terms of grip and with the handling over the kerbs. We did a lot of work overnight and through this morning and I'm much happier for the race."
• "We'll have to see how things pan out though because we won't know until then what everyone has been doing through free practice but I think we should feel quite confident. The team have done a great job in addressing the issues from Australia and I think we can have a good race tomorrow."
• Rubens Barrichello: "I'm obviously delighted with qualifying today and I have to say a very big thank you to everyone in the team for their hard work in helping me to achieve this result. We have had some problems in the early races but today's qualifying shows the amount of effort we have all put into getting the car more to my liking has paid off."
• "We've had two very good tests to get ready for this race and the team has really been listening to me about what I need for things to improve. I'm much happier with the car now. It's not 100% but we're getting there and I think we can have a much better race tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to it."
• Gil de Ferran, Sporting Director: "We are delighted with the way qualifying went. After a tough start to the weekend, having Jenson on the front row and Rubens on the second row in third place puts us in a strong position going into tomorrow's race. Since yesterday we have been working hard on the balance of the car and as the weekend progressed we have been steadily improving."
• "Hopefully the conditions will suit us further this Sunday. Certainly, it is very difficult to predict where everyone is in terms of fuel load and we will have to see how the different strategies play out, however starting near the front gives us the best possible chance."
• Shuhei Nakamoto, Management Board Member - Honda Racing F1 Team, Engineering Director - Honda Racing Development:
• "Good stuff! Clearly both guys did a good job throughout the session. This has been the best combined qualifying performance of the year as we were not in any trouble in the early runs and the guys ultimately put in strong laps. Let's see what happens tomorrow."

FRI PRACTICE APR 21, 2006 *test driver

• POS DRIVER TEAM TYRE TIME GAP
  1 Fernando Alonso Renault M 01:25.0
  2 Michael Schumacher Ferrari B 0.328
  3 *Robert Kubica BMW M 0.378
  4 *Anthony Davidson Honda M 0.656
  5 Felipe Massa Ferrari B
  6 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault M
  7 Jarno Trulli Toyota
  8 *Alex Wurz Williams Cosworth
  9 Juan Montoya McLaren Mercedes
  10 Nick Heidfeld BMW
  11 Jenson Button Honda
  12 Kimi Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes
  13 Rubens Barrichello Honda
  14 *Christijan Albers Toyota
  15 Jacques Villeneuve BMW
  16 *Robert Doornbos Red Bull Ferrari

FRI REPORT

• Fernando Alonso: "As usual on the Friday, the grip levels were quite bad. That makes the car inconsistent to drive, and we began working on the set-up to try and improve things. We are not there yet, and we are suffering from too much understeer at the moment. I think we are quick as well but as always, the times on Friday don't mean too much. If we can make some good changes tonight, though, I think we will be a in a strong situation for the race."
• Michael Schumacher: "We are happy with the work done today, which has left me in a positive mood. I see no reason to be pessimistic, even though that doesn't mean we were slow at the previous races. We have made progress in various areas and even if they are only minor things, all put together they have produced a good step forward. The whole package is working better and therefore the car is quicker. I think we can fight for pole tomorrow and I even believe we can be in the hunt for the win on Sunday. I say it again, I am optimistic."

2006 RACE PREVIEW (RENAULT  McLAREN  HONDA  WILLIAMS  SHELL  TOYOTA )

FIA / FORMULA 1 PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• THE FRIDAY PREVIEW - CRUNCH TIME FOR SCHUMACHER?
  
  Ferrari go into the San Marino Grand Prix weekend at Imola with pressure building on the famous Italian team to produce results. It is 10 months since the last Ferrari victory in Formula One racing and that was at the United States Grand Prix last June, where the major rivals were gone at the end of the parade lap.
• The last victory against the full Formula One field was 18 months ago in Japan. It is perhaps inevitable that there is talk of Michael Schumacher leaving Ferrari at the end of this season when his current contract expires. Some would argue that things are clearly not as normal at Ferrari as, for the last 10 years, contract renewals have been made 18 months ahead of time. It is also evident that the reason for Ferrari's delay is that Schumacher is deciding what he wants to do.
• The big question at Imola on Thursday was how important this race is for the seven-times champion. Imola is the start of a string of races - there are four in the next six weeks and a lot of world championship points will be up for grabs. There will be little time to change the cars and little time to test.
• But Schumacher says that too much is being read into the situation. "Every race is important for us," he says. "It is important that we make up ground. Words have been put in my mouth that this is a crucial race. We believe in our abilities and we hope to prove them. We believe pretty
  strongly that we can be competitive here. We have a new engine spec which gives extra performance. All the top teams have made a step forward and it will be interesting to see who makes the biggest one."
• Beyond that Schumacher is not keen on discussing the future. "I am pretty sure that once the decision is made you will be informed," he says. "I don't think that I have set a specific date to make a decision. I enjoy winning races not losing them. If I did not enjoy doing it I would probably call it a day." Michael added on Thursday that going out on a high is not one of main
  concerns. "It would be nice to do so but everyone has different priorities," he said. "You do it as long as you enjoy it."
• Elsewhere in the paddock all the teams are talking positively about improvement. The Imola weekend will in all likelihood prove some dreams - and smash some others.

RENAULT PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• Fernando Alonso
• Q: Fernando, it's been a great start to the season...
• Fernando Alonso: Yes, a fantastic start. The R26 performed really well, we had no mechanical problems, and it is always important to score a lot of points at the start of the year. We know Renault is the team to beat at the moment, the reference. I am really happy with our position, and very confident for the coming races.
• Q: So where has the advantage come from?
• FA: The package altogether is competitive. There are no particular problems with the car, you can feel everything works well together. The driveability of car will probably be the strongest point of the season, and fingers crossed we can finish all the races with no reliability problems.
• Q: You said in March that there were four teams fighting at the top -- is that still the case?
• FA: Yes, we have very strong opposition this year. Ferrari, McLaren and Honda are all good enough to win races, and we need to work hard if we want to beat them.
• Q: What will be the key factor in the coming races?
• FA: The development of the cars. We are in a strong situation, and we know that the team that develops most, with a strong finish to the year, will probably be champions. The drivers have a role too, because we need to tell the engineers where the car has to improve, which is what we are doing at the moment.
• Q: Tell us about Imola -- it was a famous win for you in 2005...
• FA: It became maybe the most talked-about win of my career so far I think. For me, it was a win like the others -- a special achievement. But when you are fighting with Michael, then I think the media talk about it in a special way, and make it something bigger. I enjoyed the final laps of the race last year, and it was an important race to win. But if I can do it again this year, on my own, a long way in front, then that's even better!
• Q: It's a tough track though...
• FA: It is very difficult for the drivers, with the chicanes and the kerbs, and the car bumping over them. That makes it hard for us to take the same line twice in any corner, and every lap you have to feel things a little bit differently. It is tough physically, but also for the car because there is a lot of stress over the kerbs. This is a hard race to finish.
• Q: You have said Renault is the team to beat. Who will be the competition?
• FA: Ferrari and McLaren will be our main opponents. Ferrari dropped down in the last two races, but I think they will be back. Their tyres work well at this circuit, and it is their home Grand Prix, so I expect them to be extremely competitive.
• Giancarlo Fisichella
• Q: You arrive in Imola second in the championship. You must be feeling optimistic?
• Giancarlo Fisichella: For sure! It is nice to be racing back in Europe, and to be in my home country as well, with all the Italian fans. Physically, I am fitter than ever before, and feeling really good at the moment. And compared to last year, I am in a much better position in the championship: more points, and closer to the lead. So yes, things are looking very good right now.
• Q: Looking back at the last race, what is your assessment?
• GF: It was a difficult afternoon for all the drivers I think -- and an exciting race for the spectators! I had some problems during the race, but managed to overcome them and score some good points. I have tested two times since then, we have worked through some answers to those problems, and the new B spec engine feels like a good step in performance. We are moving forward all the time.
• Q: What challenges will the circuit bring?
• GF: You need to be good in every area to be quick there, you must have a complete car. The drivers need to have confidence in the handling and the reactions, the right tyres and a strong engine. We have a mix of slow and fast corners, plus of course you need to attack the kerbs very aggressively -- and the car needs to cope with that. The R25 was quick there last year, so there's no reason to think the R26 will not be this year.

McLAREN PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• The San Marino Grand Prix sees the Formula One fraternity return to Europe for race four of the 2006 season.
• Team McLaren Mercedes travels to the Imola circuit, which is located near Bologna in Northern Italy, following a three week break that has seen the team test on two occasions, at Paul Ricard and the Circuit de Catalunya, near Barcelona.
• The return to Europe also sees a return to the use of the team's race transporters and Team Communications Centre. Team McLaren Mercedes takes three main race transporters to each European Grand Prix in addition to a spares truck.
• The transporters are used for the race engineering team, Mercedes- Benz HPE and spares respectively. The fourth truck carries the MP4-21s to the circuits, along with other more bulky items, such as the fuel rig and Lista cabinets.
• All four are Mercedes-Benz Actros, 16 litre, V8 engined trucks, and they left the McLaren Technology Centre for Imola on Monday April 17th. In addition, the Team Communications Centre is transported to each race using seven articulated trucks.
• Kimi Raikkonen: "We had a solid session at the test in Barcelona last week, we were able to complete the MP4-21 development work planned for the session and continue the progress made by Pedro and Gary at the Paul Ricard test the week before. It will be good to see how the modifications will be on the race track."
• "The biggest factors at Imola are hard braking and acceleration, because of all the chicanes and the short straights in between them. This also means that performance of traction, braking and braking stability is key for this race."
• "To get quick lap times at Imola, you have to really attack the kerbs and because they are so high, probably more so than at most tracks, we have to keep the car quite soft so it rides the kerbs well."
• "The best place to overtake at Imola would be the Tosa hairpin, both under braking and also exiting, and you also tend to see a lot of cars running wide providing more opportunities."
• Juan Pablo Montoya: "It was good to test last week, as we have been able to cover some good pre-race set-up work for San Marino and the car felt good. Imola is a very technical and demanding circuit, so the set-up of the car is particularly important at this track to be fast."
• "It is a medium to high downforce track, because of all the slow corners and chicanes, also there isn't really one very long straight that would demand a lower downforce configuration."
• "Imola is one of three anti-clockwise tracks we race on. It does place an extra strain on your body, particularly your neck. However it's not really a big deal, I have been working with my trainer to ensure there are no issues."
• "There are a couple of great corners at San Marino, such as the Piratella and Acque Minerali, and you need to make sure you push and carry as much speed through them as possible, they should be quite fun with the V8 engine!"
• Martin Whitmarsh, CEO Formula One, Team McLaren Mercedes:
• "The three week gap between the Australian and San Marino Grands Prix has allowed us to complete six intensive days of testing prior to racing at Imola this week. Between Kimi, Juan Pablo, Pedro and Gary, we completed over 4,797 kilometres and the test team have pushed hard to bring further modifications to the MP4-21 online."
• "The gap has also allowed the race team to recover from the demanding first three fly-ways and everyone within Team McLaren Mercedes is now looking forward to getting back to the Championships and putting in a positive result at San Marino. We now move to Imola for race four of the season, it is a medium speed track, which has a tendency to be tough on cars."
• "A major factor of the track is the high kerbs and the requirement of the drivers to use the kerbs to be fast. As a result, the test team has also spent some time working on dampers specifically for this race, to ensure we have the performance we need."
• Norbert Haug, Vice President, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport:
• "Due to the stop-and-go nature, with many braking and acceleration manoeuvres, the Imola circuit's characteristics are quite different from those of this year's first three races."
• "About 65 percent of a lap will be run under full throttle; this means almost two thirds of a lap. This is similar to the first two races this year in Bahrain and Malaysia, whilst the full throttle percentage in Australia was more than 70. However, due to the four Safety Car periods, the strain on the engines there was less than usual."
• "The race at Imola will take place at the end of a three-week break which was packed with testing and saw us completing a total of almost 4,800 kilometres at Paul Ricard and Barcelona."

SHELL PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• FUEL
• Shell has developed a new fuel, Shell V-Power ULG62L/3, for the use of Scuderia Ferrari at Imola.
• This new fuel formulation has a higher volatility than that of its predecessor. Shell V-Power ULG62L/3 has been developed by Shell’s Formula One fuel development team to produce more power for the Prancing Horse.
• Mike Evans, Shell’s Formula One Fuels Project Leader explains: ‘This new fuel blend is the result of much research and development between Shell and Scuderia Ferrari. Its introduction in Imola marks the arrival of yet another high performing fuel, which we can add to Shell’s vast portfolio of fuels for the team. However, we will of course work hard to develop our products with Ferrari even further over the remaining 15 races.’

  ENGINE AND GEARBOX LUBRICANTS

• At the San Marino Grand Prix, Shell will be retaining the following products; engine oil Shell Helix SL-0932 and gearbox oil Shell Spirax L6285.
• Racing conditions at Imola are generally not known to be the harshest of the season. However, the fast straights and challenging curbs cannot be under-estimated, as they do create a tough operating environment for the engine.
• In order to protect the Ferrari engine and create a solid base from which to work and gain points, Shell has sought to be consistent in its choice of lubricant package with Ferrari’s suite of Shell Helix and Shell Spirax products.

HONDA PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• The Formula One European season gets underway in Imola next weekend with the fourth round of the 2006 FIA World Championship. After the first three flyaway races, the F1 teams return to Europe and the drivers look forward to the challenge of the more traditional circuits on the F1 calendar.
• Since returning from Australia, the Honda Racing F1 Team has completed two important tests at Vallelunga and Barcelona. Covering over 3500kms in six intensive days, the team put some new aerodynamic parts through their paces and worked on the tyre warm- up issues which compromised the race performance in Melbourne. As a result, the team is optimistic that it can start to realise more of the RA106's qualifying speed in the race situation.
• Rubens Barrichello: "The Imola circuit is a good one for the drivers. I really like the layout and the challenge of setting up the car which is not easy. Imola has had its ups and downs for me; I have had a lot of support from the fans there in the past but there are also some very sad memories."
• "Our difficulties during the last race in Australia have made us work even harder in testing over the last couple of weeks and there is a good feeling that we have made some solid progress. The whole team feels positive about this weekend and I share those feelings so we're hoping for a competitive race."
• Jenson Button: "I've always really enjoyed racing in Imola. The track has a mixture of different types of corners and a few chicanes and is quite challenging for the drivers. There's always a fun atmosphere and it's a track where I have great memories. In 2004 I qualified in pole position here which was my first pole in F1 and finished the race in second place."
• "It's good to be back in Europe following the first three races where we were able to achieve a podium position and some points. Obviously we were extremely disappointed with our performance in Australia, however we have made good progress in testing and I am confident we will be competitive in Imola. Hopefully it should be a good weekend for us."
• Gil de Ferran, Sporting Director:
• "Imola represents the start of the European season and the challenge of four races in just one month. Traditionally this is the weekend when many teams target the introduction of development upgrades to their cars, which can reshuffle the order of performance established at the first three flyaway races."
• "With this in mind, we have not stood still since Australia and have evaluated many potential improvements to both the performance and reliability of the RA106 at our tests in Vallelunga and Barcelona. Our team has traditionally gone very well in Imola, so it all looks good for us to get our championship challenge back on track."
• Shuhei Nakamoto, Management Board Member - Honda Racing F1 Team, Engineering Director - Honda Racing Development:
• "The countermeasure for Jenson's engine problem in Melbourne worked to our satisfaction in Barcelona and we are introducing a more powerful spec for the start of the European season."

WILLIAMS PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• Formula One's European season gets underway this weekend with the 26th San Marino Grand Prix to be held at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari on 23rd April. Following a demanding start to this year's Championship, which has seen the teams travel to three flyaway races in less than four weeks, the start of the European rounds invariably provides a more representative platform for the grid to display its true competitiveness.
• Having won 30 per cent of the races held at Imola, the WilliamsF1 Team is the most successful Formula One team to have ever competed in the San Marino Grand Prix since the race's inception in 1981. Following both retirements in Australia, the team has re-doubled its efforts to strengthen the reliability of the FW28 and is hopeful of improving its fortunes at a track which has often delivered results in the past.
• Between the races
• Both Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg's schedules have remained relatively clear following their return from Australia. Mark, however, will fulfill a single marketing commitment prior to the race this weekend on behalf of team sponsor, Reuters, and will spend Tuesday instructing the news group's corporate guests in the art of single seater race craft at the Bedford Aerodrome. Upon arrival in Italy this week, he will also attend an award ceremony to collect the prestigious Trofeo Lorenzo Bandini for his performance over the 2005 season.
• Making the car go fast
• During the three week break between the Australian and San Marino Grands Prix, the team has completed two test sessions in Vallelunga and Barcelona. Alex Wurz undertook testing duties for the two days in Vallelunga, covering nearly 800kms while carrying out critical tyre evaluations in preparation for Imola as well as running new suspension parts on the FW28.
• Last week's Barcelona test saw all the Williams drivers out in force with a four day session at the Spanish track. Webber, Rosberg, Wurz and Karthikeyan all assumed testing responsibilities, recording just under 3,000kms while working on reliability issues and improving the performance of the FW28. As part of the team's continual development programme, the cars were run with various new mechanical components as well as new aero items, all of which will be rolled out at the next race.
• San Marino from a technical perspective
• Steeped in history and with awe-inspiring corners such as Rivazza, Acqua Minerale and the Piratella, Imola is rightly regarded as one of the most evocative circuits on the calendar. However, it is also a physically challenging track that demands driver aggression and a balanced car package for perfect handling.
• A car only with outstanding curb-riding abilities will survive the 62 lap race as the drivers will be forced to wrestle with ten left and six right- hand turns over each 4.933 kilometre lap. Combined with the mix of long, high speed straights and medium to high speed corners common to Imola, optimum mechanical set-up will be crucial for success in San Marino.
• Mark Webber: "Being the first European race of the season, Imola is always keenly awaited by everyone as it feels as though we're finally back home after the first three flyaways and that the new season is really underway. There's always a pretty good atmosphere in the paddock as we return to working out of our motorhomes and the whole set-up has a much more traditional and familiar feel."
• "The track itself provides us with a unique challenge as it's somewhere we really have to use the curbs quite a lot. I've always enjoyed racing at Imola and, falling after a successful test at Barcelona last week when both Bridgestone and Williams made good progress with the tyres and car respectively, I'm looking forward to getting the car on the track."
• Nico Rosberg: "I'm looking forward to my first Formula One race in Imola. Bridgestone have made some good progress on their compounds for cooler temperatures, as we saw in Melbourne. The team's test went well in Barcelona last week and I believe we made good progress, especially with the aero package. I know the Imola track from GP2 so that will be a help to me, definitely, so we will see how it goes."
• Sam Michael, Technical Director, WilliamsF1:
• "Since the last race, the team has been testing at Vallelunga and Barcelona to improve the car's reliability and performance. We have identified the problem we had on Mark's gearbox in Melbourne and put corrections in place to avoid that type of failure again."
• "Imola mainly consists of medium and high speed corners and chicanes. The curb riding requirements at San Marino tend to dominate the mechanical set-up of the car, but high speed stability is also important. We will have some aerodynamic and mechanical improvements on the FW28, all of which form part of our normal season-long development programme."
• "Bridgestone have been working hard to improve tyre grip on low temperature surfaces and, as a result of this work, we will have two new tyre designs in Imola. Tyre wear is not an issue, however, particularly with such a short pitlane and the effect that has on fuel strategy for the race. The FW28 has proved its competitiveness in the first three races of 2006 and with greater reliability we should be able to run near the front of the grid."
• Simon Corbyn, Head of F1 Race Engineering, Cosworth:
• "In order to ensure the best possible engine reliability in Imola, both drivers will start the event with fresh CA2006 Series 2 engines. As neither Mark nor Nico finished the previous race, they will not suffer a grid penalty as a result of this decision. Cosworth continue to work closely with Williams to carefully manage race engine usage and running conditions, while the usual challenge of delivering the best possible performance without compromising engine reliability remains."

TOYOTA PREVIEW (TOP OF PAGE)

• After three hard flyaway races when most of the Formula 1 circus spent a month away from home, Round 4 of the 2006 world championship signals the start of the European season. The Italian circuit of Imola has been home to the San Marino Grand Prix for over 20 years. The track's relative proximity to the team factories will come as a welcome relief to logistical departments drained by the challenge of sending parts and personnel halfway round the world. It's been a hard start to 2006 for Panasonic Toyota Racing's drivers Ralf Schumacher and Jarno Trulli but the team's performance has improved with every race, culminating in Ralf's Melbourne podium. They will look to continue that progress back on European soil.
  
  PASTA TRIUMPHS
  Ralf Schumacher has enjoyed many good results at the San Marino GP down the years.
  
  Ralf Schumacher (Car 7): "The Imola circuit is technically very demanding - with lots of long straights and slow corners which are especially tough on brakes. The venue has been kind to me in the past and I've always enjoyed good results - particularly when I took my first ever grand prix win there in 2001. By contrast the circuit has not been that good for Toyota down the years although both Jarno and I scored points last year. We could face cold conditions in Imola but you never know what the weather will bring there. We struggled at the start of the year in cool conditions but we made the podium in Australia so that shows how far we've come. Of course the season has started off harder than we expected but Australia was much better and the team is strong enough to keep bouncing back."
  
  JUST DOWN THE ROAD
  Imola is the closest circuit on the F1 calendar to Jarno Trulli's home town of Pescara.
  
  Jarno Trulli (Car 8): "It always makes for a slightly different weekend when you are racing at home. I will have more support than usual and my fan club usually pays me a visit but I will also be busier out of the cockpit. Despite being in Italy, I don't particularly like the circuit at Imola. It's often cold there in April but the most important factors for performance are braking stability and traction, as well as a car that can ride the kerbs. Last year I was able to celebrate the birth of my son with a points finish and we have to hope for another top eight finish this time. I didn't have a good weekend in Australia but our pace was much better so we can only be confident. We have had two hard weeks of testing and we hope to find suitable tyres for the conditions and to reap the benefits this weekend."
  
  UPWARD MOMENTUM
  After the podium performance in Australia, Toyota is confident of further progress in Imola.
  
  Dieter Gass - Chief Engineer Race and Test: "Now we are back in Europe we will probably face cooler temperatures at Imola than we have so far this year. That would have been a concern for us after the difficulties we had in Bahrain. But given the work we have done with the car set-up combined with the development work from Bridgestone on their new generation of compounds designed to work at lower temperatures, we can now be confident that those problems are under control. We showed a much stronger performance in Melbourne and we have to look to continue that development. We have had two tests since Australia which have given us a chance to look at some of the main issues, including the damper set-up we will need to ride the Imola kerbs. Our car has shown it is capable of qualifying in the top ten so we have to look to do that and score points."
  

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