2000 Gran Premio di San Marino
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola

  Pit Report

Schumacher can be toppled says Coulthard

David Coulthard promised a McLaren comeback in next week's ~home~ British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
He refused to be overawed by Michael Schumacher's early season hat-trick and warned: "Don't think this is over by any means."

There were more defiant words from Coulthard, who, with team mate Mika Hakkinen, bagged the podium places beneath Schumacher at Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix.
"We may not have won here but we are back in the game. We are capable of doing the business and getting 16 points at Silverstone.~

"That is what we are going to be aiming for and I have no doubt that we can achieve it. It is going to be a hell of a contest. But we have got the speed and the performance."

The Briton clearly believes he can repeat his Silverstone success last year, the race where Schumacher crashed after a brakes failure and broke his leg.
McLaren chief Ron Dennis put a brave face on Hakkinen's failure to win after appearing to have the outcome sewn up at three-quarters distance.
"Look beyond the obvious and you can see that both of our cars finished the race and that everyone did an excellent job," he said.

"We are delighted at that. Mika had problems -- damage caused by debris to his car and an electronic fault -- which upset his race and cost us the lead and the race.
"David was frustrated by a somewhat over-zealous blocking move by Schumacher at the start, which dropped him down behind Barrichello, who was struggling.
"But at the end of the day a great second pitstop got him up to third again. This wasn't the result we wanted, but there are 14 more races to come and it's clear that we still have the potential to win -- and we are certainly looking forward to Silverstone."

Schumacher said he was not worried about returning to the scene of his accident. "It was the kind of thing that can happen anywhere and at any time," he said. "I will just take a much closer look at the run-off areas this time."

  Pit Report

Frentzen becomes a father

Formula One driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen and his wife Tanja were celebrating the birth of a baby daughter on Monday.
The German, who drives for Jordan, drove his wife to hospital in France when she went into labour shortly after his return home from the San Marino Grand Prix on Sunday.
The baby, called Lea, was born 12 hours later.
"We are absolutely over the moon," said Frentzen.

  Pit Report

Centurions left with nothing to celebrate

Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Eddie Irvine began the day with reason to smile and plenty of ambition.
Both were lining up for their 100th Formula One race in Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix.
Briton Irvine celebrated with a public cake-cutting photocall after the morning warm-up -- his cake made in the shape of a helmet with a Jaguar motif on top.
He said, typically and simply, that he did not care much for such trivia and wanted a good race.
Alas, like Frentzen, he ended up frustrated.
German Frentzen, fast in the warm-up and filled by ambitions of scoring points, was forced to retire after only five laps.
"I had a gear-shift problem and I got stuck in sixth gear. I couldn't shift it down so I had no choice but to come into the pits.
"I don't know why but it didn't work out for me -- and the same thing happened to my team mate Jarno (Trulli)."

Irvine, who completed the race in seventh place, was at least able to draw some comfort from going the distance.
"For me, it was a pretty positive weekend even if the results don't suggest that," he said.
"The car felt much improved from Brazil and I was impressed with the pace I maintained. I had a battle with Trulli all the way though the race but I just couldn't get by and then when he dropped out I was able to go a lot faster. But it was too late to do much more."

Irvine said he also had a very bad start due to a clutch problem and this cost him points. "In this business, the start is everything," he said. "But it was fun -- the most fun I've had in a racing car for a long time."

  Pit Report

Barrichello sad while Ferrari celebrate

Rubens Barrichello cut a forlorn figure on Sunday evening as his Ferrari team were celebrating team mate Michael Schumacher's victory in the San Marino Grand Prix.
The little Brazilian, the first man from his country to drive for the great Italian team, may have moved up to second in the drivers' world title race by finishing fourth, but he was not happy.
A difficult car, problems with finding the right set-up and then a painful last section of the 62-lap race caused by a broken and uncomfortable set of seatbelts left him disappointed.
"I know it has been a great day for Michael and for the team, but I am a bit upset myself because I should have done better. I should have done better.
"I never really got on the pace this weekend and that is not good enough for me."

Barrichello, 27, who has recovered from the weight of carrying the legacy of Ayrton Senna on his shoulders since 1994, came home second in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
But in Brazil, he failed to finish after running second and on Sunday, in front of Ferrari's home fans, he struggled in fourth after losing third place during his second pitstop to Briton David Coulthard of McLaren.
"For me, it has not been a good weekend. The settings of my car were never quite right and I felt everything was hard work. It all went much better in Melbourne.
"I was unlucky in my second pitstop when Coulthard passed me. He was quicker than me (on the track) but I could have kept him behind me as it is virtally impossible to pass here.
"Then I had a real problem with the lower parts of my seatbelts and I just could not maintain any pace. My legs were moving around too much.
"But all weekend I was off the pace and I don't really know why. For me it is not good enough to finish fourth."

  Pit Report

Villeneuve puts BAR back in the points

Jacques Villeneuve celebrated his 29th birthday in typically robust style on Sunday by leading his BAR-Honda team back into the points at the San Marino Grand Prix.
Villeneuve, the 1997 drivers' world champion, had endured a pointless and painful first season with the British American Racing team last year.
But this season all that has changed and he is back to his best as his second points-scoring result of the year demonstrated.
In Sunday's race he produced a staggering 'flying' start which enabled him to move from ninth on the grid up to fifth on the opening lap.
Driving faultlessly, with great support from the team, he stayed there through a hotly-contested 62-lap race to claim two points which lifted him to sixth in the early-season drivers' standings.
"I just got an amazing start," said the Canadian. "The clutch was perfect, there was no wheelspin and going into the first corner I had to brake to avoid hitting Barrichello's Ferrari and the McLaren in front of me.
"The team did a great job on the pitstops, particularly the first one which got me out ahead of Ralf Scumacher's Williams. That was great, but the race showed that we can be competitive and maybe be the best of the rest after Ferrari and McLaren.
"I think Ralf (Schumacher) and Williams are going to be our most likely big rivals this season if we want to hang on to that position."

  Pit Report

Formula One world championship standings

Formula One world championship motor racing standings after Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix:

Drivers' championship:
1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 30 points
2. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 9
3 Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 8
4= Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 6
4= Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 6
6. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 5
7= Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Jordan 4
7= David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 4
9. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan 3
10= Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) BAR 1
10= Jenson Button (Britain) Williams 1
10= Mika Salo (Finland) Sauber 1

Constructors' championship:
1. Ferrari 39 points
2. McLaren 10
3. Benetton 8
4= Jordan 7
4= Williams 7
6. BAR 6
7. Sauber 1

  Pit Report

San Marino Grand Prix result

Result of Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix:

Race distance: 62 laps (305.609 kms)
1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1 hour 31 minutes 39.776 seconds (average speed 200.043 kph)
2. Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 1.168 seconds behind
3. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 51.008
4. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 89.276
5. Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) BAR 1 lap
6. Mika Salo (Finland) Sauber 1 lap
7. Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 1 lap
8. Pedro Diniz (Brazil) Sauber 1 lap
9. Alexander Wurz (Austria) Benetton 1 lap
10. Johnny Herbert (Britain) Jaguar 1 lap
11. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 1 lap
12. Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) BAR 1 lap
13. Gaston Mazzacane (Argentina) Minardi 2 laps
14. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Arrows 3 laps

Did not finish:
15. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan 58 laps completed
16. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Arrows 49 laps
17. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 45 laps
18. Jean Alesi (France) Prost 25 laps
19. Nick Heidfeld (German) Prost 22 laps
20. Jenson Button (Britain) Williams 5 laps
21. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Jordan 5 laps
22. Marc Gene (Spain) Minardi 4 laps

Fastest lap: Hakkinen, lap 60, 1:26.523

  Pit Report

Schumacher completes hat-trick of wins

Double world champion Michael Schumacher of Germany delivered another crushing demonstration of his and Ferrari's current superiority on Sunday when he completed a season-opening hat-trick of victories in the San Marino Grand Prix.
The 31-year-old Ferrari driver capitalised on his team's excellent strategy to move into the lead during a critical four laps following defending world champion Mika Hakkinen's second pit stop. Once ahead, he stayed there.
As he crossed the line ahead of Hakkinen, the huge crowd around Ferrari's home Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit erupted in a celebration of flag-waving rapture.
Schumacher won both the previous two races this season in Australia and Brazil and this success made him clear early-season favourite to win his third world title and Ferrari's first drivers crown in 21 years.
He boosted his total of points to a perfect 30 after the first three races on this year's 17-race calendar and has a comfortable 21-point lead over his second placed Ferrari team mate Brazilian Rubens Barrichello.
Hakkinen, whose McLaren was hampered by damage to its floor during the race, finished 1.1 seconds behind in second place ahead of his team mate Briton David Coulthard. Barrichello was fourth.
Canadian Jacques Villeneve finished fifth after a superb drive for the BAR-Honda team and Finn Mika Salo was sixth for Sauber.


THIRD WIN AT IMOLA

Schumacher's win was the 38th of his career and his third at Imola in the last six years and it gave him a 24-point lead over defending champion Hakkinen who is joint fourth in the title race.
"That's a hell of a gap, I know," said Hakkinen. "But at least I finished. It is up to me to try and stay with Michael now and try to win some races."

Schumacher, who made his usual joyous leap on the winners' podium, said he was delighted by his victory, particularly as he had left Ferrari fans disappointed on Saturday by failing to grab pole position through a mistake of his own making.
"I promised myself I would do better today and I did so I am delighted for that reason and for the tifosi," said Schmacher who added that his start was as bad as his getaway at Suzuka in last year's Japanese Grand Prix.
He also said he nearly hit Pedro Diniz's Sauber during the race when the Brazilian braked unexpectedly to let him by. "I lost two seconds there and it was a very near thing," he said.
The race itself was mostly processional once Hakkinen had made a perfect getaway from his 24th pole position but McLaren's tactics in bringing Hakkinen in for his second stop when he led Schumacher by only 2.6 seconds after 44 of the 62 laps left him vulnerable.
Schumacher cruised past and opened up a 22.5 seconds gap before pitting a second time himself and coming out in front. He stayed there to the delight of the massed fans and drove comfortably home to win.

  Pit Report

Hakkinen stays on top in San Marino warm-up

Defending world champion Mika Hakkinen of Finland stayed on top of the times in Sunday morning's warm-up for the San Marino Grand Prix.
The McLaren Mercedes-Benz driver and his team mate Briton David Coulthard clocked the two fastest laps at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari to silence a vast crowd hoping to see the home Ferrari team enjoy another trimumphant day.
Double world champion Michael Schumacher of German was third-fastest for Ferrari ahead of his team mate Brazilian Rubens Barrichello, with the two Jordan Mugen-Hondas of German Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Italian Jarno Trulli fifth and sixth.
Schumacher will start Sunday afternoon's race alongside pole-sitter Hakkinen on the front row of the grid.
Hakkinen's best time was one minute 27.418 seconds, which left him just six-hundredths ahead of Coulthard and two-tenths ahead of Schumacher.
Low temperatures may affect the race as those teams which have chosen to use hard-compound tyres could be in difficulties unless the weather improves.

  Pit Report

Ferrari fever hots up ahead of San Marino G.P.

Italians are already convinced this will be Ferrari's year and Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix will see a huge crowd anticipating a third step towards the team's first driver's title since 1979.
No matter that neither driver is Italian, it is the car, that very recognisable red car, that fills Italian hearts to bursting point with pride.
An Italian, Giancarlo Fisichella, currently lies second in the championship standings. That will matter little to the tens of thousands of Italians around the track.
Their cheers will be for German Michael Schumacher, winner of this season's opening two races, and Brazilian Rubens Barrichello in the two Ferraris.
Schumacher, with a maximum 20 points, has a 12-point lead over Fisichella, who drives a Benetton, while Barrichello is in joint third place on six points.
Last season ended with 50,000 "tifosi" gathered at Ferrari headquarters in Maranello hanging their heads in disappointment after the team once again failed to live up to their high expectations.


DIFFICULT SEASON

Although there was still hope of victory until the final Japanese Grand Prix, in reality the title was lost after Schumacher's injury at the British Grand Prix left Eddie Irvine as Ferrari's sole challenger for the bulk of the campaign.
"It was a very difficult season for us last year," Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said during practice for Sunday's race. "But despite all the problems we won the constructors' title which was a very big achievement."

"It is too early to say about this year but we have a very competitive team and up to now things have gone well in both races. We have two intelligent and quick drivers who are really at their peak when they are in the race".
Schumacher will start in second place on the grid in Sunday's race after McLaren's Mika Hakkinen took pole position in qualifying on Saturday. Barrichello will start in fourth.
Despite the disappointment of seeing the Finnish world champion take pole, Schumacher remained upbeat over his chances.
"I could have easily been on pole today and I wanted to do it for all the fans and all the team who have worked so hard this weekend," said the German.
"All the same I take some pleasure from being on the front row. We are looking good for the race and if I make a good start like I did in Brazil, then that will put is in a strong position."

Ferrari have had no serious technical problems hampering their start to the campaign and the optimism is in stark contrast to the air of gloom surrounding Italian's other great passion -- football.
Former AC Milan soccer star Daniele Massaro, one of scores of Italian celebrities at Imola, believes the popularity of Ferrari has now outstripped that of the Italian soccer team.
"Soccer is the number one sport in Italy but the national team is in a very bad situation. In contrast Ferrari has won the first two Grands Prix and has made a great start to the season.
"Everyone is behind them, it is impossible for them to lose the championship this time."

The popularity of the team, at a time when football is going through a poor patch, is not lost on Ferrari's marketing men.
Andrea Agnelli, project manager of the newly formed Ferrari World Club, an on-line supporters club bringing together Ferrari fans from all over the globe, believes the team now attracts more Italians than any other sports organisation.
"Everyone is really united behind Ferrari. With the Italian football team there are divisions between the clubs or disagreements with the coach. But Ferrari is different.
"We bring everyone together in one dream."

  Pit Report

Herbert scoffs at reports of impending departure

Johnny Herbert laughed off reports of his impending departure from the Jaguar team on Saturday after another day of mixed fortunes in qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix.
"Oh, yes, I am on my way -- I am going into retirement," he joked when asked about reports in Italian papers suggesting that the Jaguar team's young Brazilian test driver Luciano Burti was being lined up to replace him.
"That's it for me, isn't it?" he went on before adding: "Seriously, I don't know where this kind of stuff starts from. It's always a bit like this only this year it has started earlier than usual."

Herbert's rejection of any idea that he could be replaced at Jaguar following a tough start to the year was supported by the team's chief operating officer Paul Stewart.
"That is the first I've heard of this," said Stewart. "It has not even entered my head or been discussed by anyone within the team."

Pressure on Herbert, winner of three grands prix in an 11-year Formula One career dating back to 1989, was the subject of intensifying rumours in the paddock following a luckless start with Jaguar.
He was forced to retire from the first two races in Australia and Brazil.
After a bright morning with a much-improved showing, however, he ended down in 17th place on the grid for Sunday's race.
"The end result is not what I hoped it would be but I know we are going in the right direction," he said. "It felt good. But I had a cracked exhaust which went early on in the session and then it just got worse.
"Things didn't turn out for me the way we hoped today. Sooner or later my luck will turn."

To make things appear worse for Herbert, his new team mate Eddie Irvine has outpaced him since he arrived at Jaguar from Ferrari.
Irvine qualified seventh on Saturday and said afterwards he felt he could have qualified fifth.
"I could have done better but the main thing is to finish the race and get a good performance," he said as he looked ahead to his 100th grand prix.
Herbert said all he wanted was for his "car to survive".

  Pit Report

Hakkinen wrests pole from Schumacher

Defending drivers world champion Mika Hakkinen said he felt under serious pressure after grabbing pole position in dramatic style on Saturday for Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix.
The Finn, in his McLaren-Mercedes-Benz, has yet to score a point this season and is in desperate need of a victory, or a strong points-scoring finish, to stop his great rival German Michael Schumacher from opening up a lead of more than 20 points in this year's title race.
"It's been a really hard time for all of us in the team," he said, after his flying fastest lap in the dying second of the session enabled him to outpace Schumacher's Ferrari and regain pole.
"I know I have to do something in this race so I want to win, or at least get some points," he added.
Double world champion Schumacher had taken the initiative with less than a minute of the session remaining, leaving Hakkinen with one final chance to improve again. He took his chance with aplomb.
"That was so exciting," said Hakkinen, stirred into a rare show of emotion. "I was right on the limit. In fact, I was a little over the limit at times and that can be a little dangerous on this circuit because of the way you have to use the
kerbs.
"They are very different here to other tracks and it is a particular thing. You have to ride them all and if you get it right you get a good lap. So, you have to go on the limit as much as you can."

While Hakkinen celebrated his 24th career pole with a sigh of relief -- he now has one more pole position to his credit than Schumacher -- the German said he felt deeply frustrated and angry at himself for failing to deliver pole for the massed Ferrari fans at the team's home circuit.
"I am very upset and angry with myself," he said. "I made a stupid mistake on my third run and it cost me time and I think it cost me a chance of pole position which I wanted for the team, who have worked so hard, and for the tifosi.

LONG AND TOUGH

"I was four-tenths up, but I made a mistake coming out of Rivazza and that was it. I get some pleasure from being on the front row, but it is not what I wanted. But tomorrow's race is a long and tough one and I am still in a good position."

After two successive victories in Australia and Brazil, Schumacher is seeking to complete a hat-trick and open up a commanding lead against Hakkinen and for Ferrari against McLaren.
The Woking-based Anglo-German outfit have yet to score a point this year, following Briton David Coulthard's disqualification at the Brazilian Grand Prix and his subsequent failed appeal against that decision.
The Briton ended up third on Saturday and has to share the second row of the grid with Schumacher's Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello, the first Brazilian to race for team.
"I didn't get the lap I wanted," said Coulthard. "But third on the grid is not too bad and I hope to get the kind of result I need to get the season started."

Hakkinen outpaced Schumacher by just nine-hundredths of a second with a performance that had everyone at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari on the edge of their seats.
Hakkinen clocked a best lap time of one minute and 24.714 seconds to secure his third successive pole of the season and the 24th of his career.
Notably, Hakkinen's time was 1.6 seconds inside his pole time last year -- clear proof that this year's cars are faster than their predecessors.
Schumacher, seeking his third successive season-opening victory for Ferrari, led the times briefly early in the session and then brought the huge Italian crowd to life with a dramatic bid to grab pole himself on his late lap.
But his efforts were in vain even though he did end the McLaren stranglehold on the front row of the grid for the first time this year.
Ralf Schumacher, in a Williams, was fifth fastest and fellow-German Heinz-Harald Frentzen, in a Jordan Mugen-Honda, was sixth after the session which was run in clear, dry conditions under a perfect blue sky.

  Pit Report

San Marino Grand Prix grid positions

Grid positions for Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix motor race following Saturday's final qualifying session:
1. Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 1 minute 24.714 seconds (average speed 209.632 kph)
2. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1:24.805
3. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:25.014
4. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 1:25.242
5. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:25.871
6. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Jordan 1:25.892
7. Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 1:25.929
8. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan 1:26.002
9. Jacques Villeneve (Canada) BAR 1:26.124
10. Pedro Diniz (Brazil) Sauber 1:26.238
11. Alexander Wurz (Austria) Benetton 1:26.281
12. Mika Salo (Finland) Sauber 1:26.336
13. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Arrows 1:26.349
14. Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) BAR 1:26.814
15. Jean Alesi (France) Prost 1:26.824
16. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Arrows 1:26.845
17. Johnny Herbert (Britain) Jaguar 1:27.051
18. Jenson Button (Britain) Williams 1:27.135
19. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 1:27.253
20. Gaston Mazzacane (Argentina) Minardi 1:28.161
21. Marc Gene (Spain) Minardi 1:28.333
22. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Prost 1:28.361

  Pit Report

Prost says his F-1 team at zero level

Alain Prost is unhappy with his Formula One team's lack of progress and less than full support from Peugeot.
"I feel frustrated because for the moment Prost-Peugeot is at a zero level. We mustn't be afraid of the truth: it's zero," the Prost team boss said in an interview to be published in Saturday's edition of the French daily Le Figaro.
"Let's say we haven't managed to really tune our violins with Peugeot...I expect a constructor to get involved 100 percent," he told Le Figaro at Imola ahead of Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix.
"We don't have the team France deserves. I've always said I was doing this project for France. If we don't make it, it's France that will have lost," he said.
The Prost team, whose drivers this season are experienced Frenchman Jean Alesi and German newcomer Nick Heidfeld, were seventh last season with nine points in the constructors championship.
Asked if he would still be in the sport in five years time, Prost said: "I sincerely don't know. It's quite possible. That depends on my motivation, my pleasure.
"I've not enjoyed much these last two years, not at all in fact. I'm hoping for better days."

  Pit Report

Frentzen ready for century and fatherhood

Heinz-Harald Frentzen grabbed the first win of his Formula One career at the 1997 San Marino Grand Prix and on Sunday he hopes to mark his 100th race by repeating that feat.
The German, whose wife Tanja is expecting their first child at any time, believes he needs only a small change of luck to grab his first win of the season for Jordan.
"Last year, I was very unlucky here becase I spun off the track on oil left by Eddie Irvine's car and so, this time, I want to have a dose of better luck. I would love to celebrate my 100th race with a podium or a win."

Frentzen took a step towards that achievement by clocking the fourth best time in Friday's opening free practice session.
"I felt it was a good first day and I am happy how it went. The car felt good," he said.
"We had no problems at all and we were able to do a lot of work on the set-up which is important. For me, the car felt good right from the start and that is always a good signal.
"I think I am in good shape for the weekend. I just hope it delivers some reward."

  Pit Report

Schumacher dominates opening practice

Michael Schumacher and Ferrari team mate Rubens Barrichello dominated Friday's opening free practice for Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix.
Sweeping aside all their rivals on a dry day under perfect blue skies, the Ferrari drivers revelled in their chance to shine in front of their home fans at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
Although there was not a big crowd, there were enough people to show the Italian public's feelings for the team they regard as their own and boost the Ferrari outfit's already high morale as they go into their home race.
"We can get pole here, just as I felt we could in Australia and Brazil," said Schumacher, who is seeking to extend his lead in the drivers' championship and complete a hat-trick of season-opening races.
"Though I know the grandstands looked a bit empty today, I am sure the tifosi will turn out in force on Saturday and Sunday.
"I am reasonably happy as we have got through all the work we set out to do today and and we have done a lot on the set-up. I think we have had a much better first day than we had at the two previous races and I am sure we are going to be a lot quicker tomorrow."

Like the 31-year-old German, Barrichello was also full of confidence on a day when the Ferrari pair outstripped Briton David Coulthard, third in the leading McLaren and whose team mate and defending world champion Finn Mika Hakkinen could manage no better than sixth.
Barrichello said: "I had a few problems with the engine at first and I had to stop after three laps. But the team quickly found it was not too serious and sorted it out. I was faster and faster in the second hour and that was great.
"I feel I can fight Michael here for pole and even though I have not found my ideal set-up yet, I am confident."

Schumacher clocked a best time of one minute 26.944 seconds with his Brazilian team mate second-fastest with a time of 1:27.317.
Coulthard is bidding to bounce back with a points-scoring finish after failing in an attempt to overturn his disqualification, for technical infringements, from the Brazilian Grand Prix were he finished second.
German Heinz-Harald Frentzen in a Jordan was fourth-quickest ahead of team mate Italian Jarno Trulli.
Hakkinen, who is pointless after engine failures forced his retirement in the first two races, was more than a second adrift of Schumacher's best time, but he remained unperturbed.
"We made a big step forward in the last part of the session, but we were not able to make the best of it because of a lot of yellow flags," he said. "I am optimistic for qualifying. Today we worked more for the race than for anything else so it is not very representative of what could happen."

Coulthard was non-commital about his prospects and said the team had "done some good work" and "encountered no problems." He said he felt sure of a good result.
Frentzen, preparing like Briton Eddie Irvine, for his 100th Grand Prix, felt he had had a "very good session" and said the car felt fast from the start of the day. Jordan team mate Jarno Trulli, racing on home soil, said he felt motivated by the atmosphere.
Irvine said his Jaguar's progress was difficult to assess because of worn tyres while his team mate and fellow-Briton Johnny Herbert was pleased to have overcome an engine failure in the morning by clocking the seventh-best time. "The car feels as good as it has all season," he said.
It was a miserable day in particular for two drivers -- young Briton Jenson Button and 1997 world champion Canadian Jacques Villeneuve. Button, in his Williams, wound up 20th and also suffered an engine failure while Villeneuve was slowest in 22nd place without clocking a competitive time in his BAR.
"I think this is a difficult circit to learn because you have to use the kerbs so much," said Button.
Villeneuve, whose car failed him in both morning and afternoon sessions, made no comment.

  Pit Report

San Marino Grand Prix practice times

Times from Friday's free practice session for Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix motor race:

1. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Ferrari 1 minute 26.994 seconds (average speed 204.255 kph)
2. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Ferrari 1:27.317
3. David Coulthard (Britain) McLaren 1:27.372
4. Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany) Jordan 1:27.730
5. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Jordan 1:27.795
6. Mika Hakkinen (Finland) McLaren 1:28.021
7. Johnny Herbert (Britain) Jaguar 1:28.139
8. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Benetton 1:28.236
9. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Williams 1:28.372
10. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Arrows 1:28.444
11. Mika Salo (Finland) Sauber 1:28.555
12. Eddie Irvine (Britain) Jaguar 1:28.566
13. Alexander Wurz (Austria) Benetton 1:28.771
14. Jean Alesi (France) Prost 1:28.950
15. Gaston Mazzacane (Argentina) Minardi 1:28.952
16. Jos Verstappen (Netherlands) Arrows 1:28.975
17. Ricardo Zonta (Brazil) BAR 1:29.097
18. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) Prost 1:29.113
19. Pedro Diniz (Brazil) Sauber 1:29.307
20. Jenson Button (Britain) Williams 1:29.326
21. Marc Gene (Spain) Minardi 1:29.412
22. Jacques Villeneve (Canada) BAR 7:53.474

  Pit Report

Europe face two grands prix limit

The European Union and its member states could be treated as a single country and only host two grands prix a year in the future, International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley said on Friday.
Mosley confirmed at a news conference ahead of the San Marino Grand Prix that a recent meeting of the FIA's world motor sport council had decided to make such a proposal to the ruling body's general assembly.
The council had reached that decision after discussing the protracted dispute between the FIA and the EU competition watchdog over the handling of television rights.
No single country has hosted more than two world championship races in a season -- the likely limit should Europe be regarded that way.

Eleven of this year's world championship rounds will be staged in Europe.
On Thursday, the FIA made clear it would not renew the contracts for any of its Formula One world championship races in the EU until the laws affecting the dispute were clarified satisfactorily.
Mosley added to this position of resolution when he criticised the way the EU had handled the dispute.
"They sent out a letter which said each team should be able to deal with its own television rights -- an idea they had taken from football which is not practicable in Formula One," he said.
"They are suggesting each circuit and team could handle its own rights. This showed a high level of stupidity and they later had to apologise for it. It is a waste of time."

Mosley confirmed that the FIA was in talks with other international sporting bodies in order to try and resolve the dispute. He said the FIA planned to host a meeting in Paris on the governance of sport later this year.
This would involve the IOC, FIFA and IAAF, said Mosley. He said UEFA was currently working out its own direction in this dispute.
Mosley also said that he had urged the EU to throw open its planned hearing in Brussels on May 10-12 on competition in sport.
"We asked them to let us in, or to let in the media, but they want to hold the hearing in secret," he said.

  Pit Report

Formula 1 team cheated last season - Mosley

A leading Formula One team cheated last season by breaking strict technical rules governing the cars, International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley said on Friday.

The unnamed team was discovered to have been competing with an illegal car during FIA winter auditing of information, Mosley said at a news conference ahead of Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix.
"We became aware of it during our routine winter audit," he said.
Mosley added that the rule-breaking had not had any significant effect on last year's world championship in which Mika Hakkinen won the drivers' title and Ferrari took the constructors' title.
It was believed that Mosley was indicating the team had carried illegal electronic software on the car.
This belief supported long-held views and reports that certain cars have used illegal electronic devices such as traction control and masked the software.
Mosley said he did not wish to identify the team and hinted that others may also have been doing something similar. He added that the FIA were not yet "100 per cent certain about everything" to do with this form of cheating.
He said the FIA would be speaking to the team to decide what should be done.

He also announced that there would be a technical clampdown on teams' electronic systems introduced for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in two weeks.

  Pit Report

Irvine in buoyant mood on eve of 100th grand prix

Eddie Irvine, returning to Italy in the green overalls of Jaguar after four years in crimson for Ferrari, is lapping up the attention on the eve of his 100th Formula One race.
"The last few times I came here I was driving for a well-known local team!" he quipped at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, venue of Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix.
His former team mate Michael Schumacher may have been the man on a mission after two successive wins in Australia and Brazil but Irvine was still enjoying plenty of the limelight.
After the morning launch of his first personal line of clothing in Bologna, the 34-year-old Briton strolled through the crowded paddock and chatted to team mates and friends in rival teams.
As one of the most colourful "playboy" personalities in the sport, he was asked recently if he had any regrets from his time in Formula One since his debut in 1993.
"No," Jaguar's official website reported him as saying. "I'm the Edith Piaf of Formula One and I don't regret anything."

But Irvine has his serious side too. He has spent the last few days training hard with his personal fitness expert Nick Harris in Milan, where he has kept the apartment he bought when he drove for Ferrari.
"Given that I still live part of the year in Italy and that I spent four years driving for an Italian team, this will be something of a special weekend," the Northern Irishman said.
"After all the long-haul flying involved with the first two races it also makes a pleasant change to just get in the car and drive down the road to the circuit.
"Despite all the chicanes they have introduced at the Imola track, you know, it is still a nice and challenging way to spend a Sunday afternoon -- and the Acque Minerali corners are great fun..."

Loquacious, controversial and irreverent, Irvine's century of races, which began at Suzuka in Japan where Ayrton Senna threw a punch at him in a post-race row in 1993, has certainly been colourful.

  Pit Report

My brother will be champion, says Ralf Schumacher

Williams driver Ralf Schumacher is convinced his elder brother Michael will win this year's Formula One championship in his Ferrari. "I assume he will (win the drivers' title)," the younger Schumacher told weekly Bunte in an interview released on Wednesday. "I can't see what could stop him."
Ralf Schumacher, warming up for the season's third round, the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday, said he was very close to his brother who has won the season's first two races and the drivers' title twice.
"We are brothers and we love each other," he said. "Formula One will not change that."
But he did say he was tired of always being referred to as 'Little Schumi'.
"All I've achieved, I've done by myself," he said. "What I'm worth has nothing to do with Michael's victories."

  Pit Report

Let's not get carried away, says Schumacher

Michael Schumacher warned his Ferrari team against any kind of euphoria after his victories in the season's two opening Formula One races.
"Twenty points from two races is ideal but I want to ask everybody to stay quiet," Schumacher told weekly Motorsport Aktuell in an interview released on Tuesday.
"The championship has only just started and it would be wrong to believe that we've won it already. It's a long season."

German Schumacher said he had been surprised by the misfortunes of rivals McLaren.
"I had not expected it," said the double world champion, adding Ferrari's victory in the last race, the Brazilian Grand Prix on March 26, did not owe anything to anybody.
"In Sao Paulo we won on our own strength because we had the possibility to overtake the McLarens in the race," he said.

"That hadn't happened for a long time. It came as further proof on how good our car really is."

The fact that the McLarens were faster in qualifying in each of the first two races does not worry Schumacher.
"It came from circumstances under which, both in Australia and in Brazil, I did not have the possibilty to go for the best time," he said. "I think that we're faster in qualifying as well."

Ferrari's technical director Ross Brawn saw things differently.
"It is a shame to have such good drivers and cars and not make the most of it," he said, also in an interview with Motorsport Aktuell. "Our two qualifying sessions so far were weak. We have to improve on that."

Brawn named McLaren driver Mika Hakkinen, the defending world champion, as the most dangerous threat to Ferrari's title hopes.
"Mika Hakkinen is driving impressively, both in qualifying and in races, and he will be our most serious rival this year again," he predicted.
The next race is the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola on Sunday.

  Pit Report

Coulthard loses appeal

David Coulthard has lost an appeal against his disqualification from second place at the Brazilian Grand Prix because his McLaren broke technical regulations.
Motor racing's ruling body FIA said on Tuesday its appeal body "decided to confirm the stewards' decision pronouncing the exclusion of car number two (Coulthard's) from the classification of the 2000 Brazilian Grand Prix".
The decision completes a disastrous start to the season for McLaren who have yet to score a point in two races. World champion Mika Hakkinen has been forced out of both races with mechanical problems.
Coulthard was disqualified by stewards at Interlagos nine days ago, after the Briton finished behind Michael Schumacher's Ferrari, because his McLaren failed to conform with regulations relating to front-wing end planes.
"Obviously today's result isn't what I had hoped for," Coulthard said. "It's (the San Marino Grand Prix at) Imola this weekend and I'm looking forward to getting into the rhythm at one of my favourite tracks and that is what I'm now concentrating on."

McLaren managing director Martin Whitmarsh said: "Naturally we are disappointed with the final outcome of this appeal but we will not allow this to obscure our focus on the world championship and the start of the European season at the San Marino Grand Prix."

In a statement the FIA said Monday's meeting of its appeal body had decided the distance between the planes exceeded the tolerance allowed under FIA regulations, and it was up to the teams to ensure their cars conformed.


INFRINGEMENT

McLaren had argued the infringement was caused by the bumpy track at Interlagos but the FIA said this argument was "unfounded".
" ... all the competitors - including the appellant - had been subjected to the rigours of the circuit in question from the first practice session onwards, and ... all steps could thus have been taken to make the necessary adjustments to the cars to allow them to cope with these difficulties," it said.
Coulthard's failure to keep his six points for second place means fellow Briton Jenson Button has become the youngest driver to score a point in formula one. Button, in a Williams, was promoted to sixth after Coulthard's disqualification.
After Monday's appeal hearing Scot Coulthard had been optimistic that he would be reinstated.
"Obviously, I can't go into details but we just put forward the case that led to the car not being within the regulations at the end of the race, when quite clearly it started the race within the regulations, and the unusual circumstances with the very bumpy nature of that track," he said.
The five-strong appeal panel was headed by Belgian Philippe Roberti de Winghe.
Double world champion Schumacher leads the drivers' world championship with 20 points from the first two races after also winning the Australian Grand Prix.

  Pit Report

Arrows boss looking for podium place soon

Arrows boss Tom Walkinshaw expects to see his drivers on the Formula One podium soon and would not be too surprised if the team were to win after years without a victory.
"I think Arrows are on the way up and I'm sure we'll be in the points and on podiums before too long," he said on Friday.
"We were running third at the weekend before (Dutchman) Jos (Verstappen) had cramp in his neck. If we can repeat that performance at Imola and Silverstone we'll be right there," he added.
In Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix Verstappen rose from 14th place on the grid to third before neck pains forced him back to finish eighth and out of the points.
The later disqualification of McLaren's David Coulthard moved him back up to seventh place.
Walkinshaw said he was encouraged by the performance of his team, who have started a record 339 races without a win since 1977 and grabbed just one point last season, in their two races so far this year.
"I think it's the first time (since he became involved) that we've had a clean run at it without having to compromise on anything and I think it's showing well," he said.
Arrows are using Renault-based Supertec engines this season, with a further option for next year, after abandoning attempts to build their own and have also secured a hefty new sponsorship package.

Arrows follow McLaren with F1 two-seater

Arrows, following in the slipstream of McLaren, unveiled a two-seater Formula One car on Friday and promised a select few the Grand Prix ride of a lifetime.
The arrival of the Arrows, two years after McLaren built the world's first Formula One two-seater, opened up for the first time the possibility of two such cars taking to the track at once.
"It's a complete Formula One car but its obviously completely re-engineered and its longer," said team principal Tom Walkinshaw at his headquarters in central England.
The team, who hold the record for the number of Formula One races entered without ever having won (339), said their car -- which positions the passenger with his or her legs around the driver -- would offer a better view of the action than the McLaren.
"I'm quite happy that our passenger has a better view than the McLaren's passenger and also is completely able to independently (get out of) the car without requiring the driver to come out first," said Australian Paul Stoddart, boss of the Arrows F3000 junior team.
"It's been designed completely with passenger safety in mind."

Walkinshaw was coy about what kind of engine the car had but joked that he would not be going for a ride "because there are too many drivers who want to get their own back".
But he later admitted he hoped for a spin around Silverstone with one of the high-speed chauffeurs "once they have got over the initial urge to terrorise everyone".
McLaren have until now been the only team able to offer sponsors and guests a ride, after building the Mercedes-powered MP4-98T in 1998.
Some 30 guests to sample the car's ferocious acceleration and braking during the quieter moments of a grand prix weekend have included King Juan Carlos of Spain and violinist Vanessa Mae.
Mark Webber, Arrows's Australian test driver who is also competing in Formula 3000 this season, is likely to spend most time behind the wheel whenever the two-seater makes its first public appearance.
"If you're going to allocate track time for one of these things, for the McLaren, you may as well allocate for two of them to take the same track time up," said Stoddart.
Other drivers will be Formula One regulars Jos Verstappen of the Netherlands -- who has already asked to take his wife out in it -- and Spaniard Pedro de la Rosa along with Dutch Formula 3000 challenger Christijan Albers and Stoddart.
Arrows would have had the car ready earlier but a big crash suffered by Brazilian Pedro Diniz, who escaped injury when his Sauber landed upside down at the Nuerburgring last season, sent them back to the drawing board with a first chassis almost finished.
The car was strengthened and the passenger and driver separated by a central bulkhead made of 317 layers of solid carbon.