San Marino GP

[r1ckst4]

First Qualifying times:

1. RAIKKONEN McLaren 1m19.886s

2. ALONSO Renault 1m19.889s

3. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 1m20.260s

4. WEBBER Williams 1m20.442s

5. BUTTON BAR 1m20.464s

6. TRULLI Toyota 1m20.492s

7. MASSA Sauber 1m20.593s

8. WURZ McLaren 1m20.632s

9. HEIDFELD Williams 1m20.807s

10. SATO BAR 1m20.851s

11. BARRICHELLO Ferrari 1m20.892s

12. R.SCHUMACHER Toyota 1m20.994s

13. VILLENEUVE Sauber 1m20.999s

14. COULTHARD Red Bull 1m21.632s

15. FISICHELLA Renault 1m21.708s

16. LIUZZI Red Bull 1m21.804s

17. KARTHIKEYAN Jordan 1m23.123s

18. MONTEIRO Jordan 1m25.100s

19. ALBERS Minardi 1m25.921s

20. FRIESACHER Minardi 1m26.484s

__________________________________________________ _______________

check out the first 6 drivers!
all good drivers, all different teams.... this is so exciting... i'm expecting to see a very entertaining grand prix this time.

dont miss it people! 2 hours from now!

[fpv_gtho]

I think the start and pitstops will be the only shakeup to the final qualifying, although after Schueys mistake that dropped him down to 13th, he'll have alot of attention payed to him. Hard to say what'lll happen at the front though, i dare say Kimi and Alonso will pull away from Button and Webber easily, and those 2 packs will tossle throughout the race.

Few more hours for my part of the globe......

[labomba]

Should be quite a few good tussles.. but yeah mostly the places will be sorted in the pitstops..... and who gets stuck behind Villeneuve 'the mobile roadblock'.

[fpv_gtho]

I think Villeneuves loosening up a bit, what hes mostly complaining about is the brakes, so im assuming he keeps braking too early, making him too slow, or braking too late making him look like he doesnt know what hes doing anymore.

I dont know what to read into Buttons performance though, him and Sato broke those 2 lap records testing the new aero kit, but its not really proven over a race distance from what ive seen so whilst he may get Webber at the start, maybe even Alonso and Kimi, who knows whats gunna happen as the race goes on.

[Cotterik]

Final qualifying positions for the San Marino Grand Prix

1. RAIKKONEN McLaren 2m42.880s
2. ALONSO Renault 2m43.441s
3. BUTTON BAR 2m44.105s
4. WEBBER Williams 2m44.511s
5. TRULLI Toyota 2m44.518s
6. SATO BAR 2m44.658s
7. WURZ McLaren 2m44.689s
8. HEIDFELD Williams 2m45.196s
9. BARRICHELLO Ferrari 2m45.243s
10. R.SCHUMACHER Toyota 2m45.416s
11. VILLENEUVE Sauber 2m46.359s
12. FISICHELLA Renault 2m46.710s
13. M.SCHUMACHER Ferrari 2m47.244s
14. COULTHARD Red Bull 2m48.070s
15. LIUZZI Red Bull 2m48.155s
16. KARTHIKEYAN Jordan 2m52.099s
17. MONTEIRO Jordan 2m54.252s
18. MASSA Sauber 2m44.930s*
19. FRIESACHER Minardi 2m57.048s
20. ALBERS Minardi no time

*Massa has a 10-place penalty for an engine change

[R34GTR]

Awesome battle between Schumacher and Alonso a true race

[labomba]

Yeah that was fantastic!

The strategy was most important @ SanMarino, a circuit where its so difficult to overtake.
There were some great battles behind Trulli's Toyota early on, Sato getting the best of that one. + between Massa and Coulthard.
The best racing was at the end though as the strategies panned out.
For a while it was possible to imagine that Schumacher was only 1 stopping and might take an unbelievable victory from 13th on the grid.
As it was the last 15 laps were nailbiting as Schumacher rejoined some 12sec behind Alsono but managed to close quickly up to the Renault and with 8 laps to go it looked certiain that he would pass for the victory.
However, Alsonso drove beautifully in a mature manner to take a well deserved 3rd win in a row.
No one can argue however that Schumacher was the star driver of the day.

.... The beginning of the Schumacher comeback. The next 15 races will be great in this... the most interesting season since Hakkinen retired.

[RazaBlade]

I cant believe he was a whole 2 secs a lap quicker than the leaders in the middle stint! Awesome car, superb driving. Kudos to Alonso for showing he's a true contender for champion and heir to Schumacher. But then again, no signs of Schumacher slowing down, rather his fight for the lead starts now!

[DasModell]

he was 8 tenths faster than anybody else .

http://www.formula1.com/race/result/...laps/735/8.htm

[fpv_gtho]

Williams have to seriously go back and reconsider their race strategy, theyre getting left behind by the front runners especially now that BAR are back onto possible race winning pace, andas far as i can see they wouldnt be in such trouble if they could develop an credible race strategy

[fa22_raptor]

I'm spewin' about Kimi's retirement. I thought he had it in the bag as early as the end of the first lap... Good drive from Schuey though.

[fpv_gtho]

That was a pretty big dissapointment, he couldve been right up there with Alonso and Schuey at the end. Barcelona here we come

[BjD]

Great race, great finish! Looks like its shaping up to be a good season. Worst part was ITV's less than intelligent ad-break

[Rockefella]

I don't watch F1.

[blackcat77]

Apparently it was the best race in a long time but I'll never know because for some reason Speed TV, which shows F1 in the US, didn't show the race. They televised the practice and both quals but not the race. Maybe someone could explain that to me...

(Edit: Okay, it's on CBS this afternoon. I went over to Speed's website and saw about it. First I heard of it anywhere...)