2002 San Marino Grand Prix

Championship standings

Schumacher leads with 24 points, eight ahead of Ralf Schumacher in second, and ten ahead of Montoya in third. Williams lead the Constructors’ Championship by six points over Ferrari.

Previous race

At Interlagos, Schumacher’s new F2002 beat Ralf Schumacher to the flag by just over half a second after trading fastest laps in the closing stages. Barrichello led briefly before retiring for the eighth consecutive Brazilian Grand Prix. Montoya’s front wing was again damaged in a collision with Schumacher on the first lap — the second such incident in as many races. Coulthard returned to the podium with third.

Between-race developments

Eight teams tested at Circuit Ricardo Tormo for three days. Sauber’s Heidfeld was fastest on day one; Räikkönen led the second and final day. Ferrari spent five days testing electronics and Bridgestone tyres at Fiorano, then ran Barrichello and Schumacher on the F2002’s racing setup at Mugello. Arrows did not test due to a lack of finance.

Barrichello receives an F2002 chassis of his own at Imola — for the first three rounds he drove a modified F2001B while only Schumacher had the new car.

Car upgrades

McLaren brings a new rear suspension designed around the MP4-17’s Michelin tyres. Jordan adds an additional wing profile to the EJ12’s anti-roll bar. Renault introduces new front wing endplates. Honda supplies BAR and Jordan with the latest RA002E V10 engine, modified to reduce internal friction and raise RPMs. Toyota debuts a revised engine with improved driveability, along with new front and rear wings.

Practice

Four sessions on a circuit that was wet for both Friday sessions and damp into Saturday morning, drying only in the final minutes of each subsequent session. Michael Schumacher was fastest in all four.

Friday’s opening session ran in heavy rain with several drivers aquaplaning off the circuit. In the second session Trulli damaged his right-front suspension and front wing at the Variante Bassa chicane; Schumacher stalled after running slightly off line exiting the Variante Alta and clipping a kerb. Saturday morning was damp, with most drivers on intermediates until the final minutes. In the final session, Schumacher slipstreamed Trulli across the start/finish line and set the fastest lap with one minute remaining; multiple drivers ran off circuit throughout.