Vitantonio Liuzzi does not think the the V10 has an advantage over the V8 after testing Red Bull’s Ferrari-powered RB2. since the Australian GP.  Jarno Trulli is confident that Toyota will not be affected by the departure of Mike Gascoyne and set 7th fastest time.  The Variante Alta has been modified (flattening the kerbs) and most drivers gave the changes a provisional blessing, believing the new layout safer than the old one, but may not be as specular as before Nico Rosberg., 17th fastest (1:26.989) believes that his knowledge of the circuit will be an advantage to him.   The writer has always maintained that a larger F1 field is what is required and Carlin Motorsport is hoping to buy the Penske Racing’s factory at Poole in Dorset with the view of running a F1 team from there for the 2008 season.  Eddie Jordan, Paul Stoddart and Craig Pollock are others hoping to join the grid then.  Back to a 30 car grid?

Michael Schumacher has taken an historic pole position for the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola claiming his 66th career pole, ironically overtaking the legendary Ayrton Senna´s record, on the circuit that took his life.  Schumacher had been dominant all weekend and to prove Ferrari´s strength so was Filepe Massa setting fourth fastest time sandwiching the two Honda´s of Jenson Button who will be hoping this weekend that he has more grip after the pit stops and can have a chance of winning here, backed up by his team mate Rubens Barichello who seems to have now become accustomed to the BAR chassis.  Renault were not very happy with their results, but followers will remember last year that when Alonso got ahead of Schumacher, try what may Michael could not get past him.  On the last lap Juan Pablo Montoya reversed the position on team mate Kimi Raikkonen to take seventh and eighth, sandwiched between the two Toyotas of Ralf Schumacher (sixth) and Jarno Trulli (ninth) with Mark Webber the only Williams Cosworth in the top ten this weekend.

Michael Schumacher drove a superb race that out duelled defending title-holder Fernando Alonso who probably lost the top place on the podium when the Renault team called him earlier than expected for his second pit stop, one lap before the Ferrari driver.  After the first pit stop where he leapfrogged Felipe Massa and Jenson Button he was crawling all over the red car, but after the second pit stop Michael Schumacher looked more secure.  Jenson Button made a good start and kept with Michael Schumacher (the Brit confiming that his qualifying performance had been flattered slightly by a light fuel load) about 4 seconds adrift, but on pace.  His luck changed on lap 30.  Under instructions from his ‘lollipop’ man, he was sent away from his stall before the refuelling rig had been disengaged, knocking over several mechanics and resulting in an agonising delay while the nozzle was detached so hopes of a podium finish today were lost.  Team mate Rubens Barichello made a bad start and before half distance of the first lap the safety car was out when Yuji Ide´s Super Aguri nugged Christijan Albers whose Midland Toyota summersalted several times into the gravel trap, luckily the Dutchman emerged unscatched but not amused. Juan Pablo Montoya made stealthy progress up the lap chart as McLaren’s fuel strategy started to pay off and took third place, possible assisted by Jenson´s pit incident and Mark Webber drove a sensible race.