2003 San Marino Grand Prix

Championship standings

Räikkönen leads with 24 points heading to Imola. Coulthard is second on 15 points, Fernando Alonso third on 14 points. Giancarlo Fisichella and Jarno Trulli are fourth and fifth on 10 and 9 points respectively. In the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren lead on 39 points, Renault second on 23, Ferrari third on 16 points.

Previous race

Brazil was stopped after 54 classified laps following a chaotic day in which six drivers crashed at a flooded turn three across the race distance. Fisichella appeared to have crossed the line first, but the result was initially awarded to Räikkönen — who had led the standing at the lap counted by officials — in a confusion over red-flag timing rules. Alonso was hospitalised after hitting debris at around 270 km/h, suffering bruised left elbow, knee and thigh; he was discharged after 12 hours and has returned to Madrid for physical therapy.

Between-race developments

Following an FIA investigation and a Jordan appeal heard in Paris on 11 April, it was established that Fisichella was leading when the red flag was shown on lap 56, and the result is rolled back to lap 54. Fisichella is awarded the win — Jordan’s 200th race and their fourth and final victory. An unofficial ceremony will be held during this weekend’s race at Imola, where Räikkönen and McLaren team principal Ron Dennis will present the winning trophies to Fisichella and Jordan principal Eddie Jordan.

Michael Schumacher and Alonso were both reported to the FIA stewards for their incidents in Brazil. Schumacher was interviewed by race director Charlie Whiting at the pre-event drivers’ meeting on 17 April; two days later, Whiting met individually with Alonso and Schumacher and issued cautions about their future driving standards without further penalty.

Ferrari originally planned to debut their new car the F2003-GA at Imola. Reliability concerns during tests at Mugello and Fiorano have led the team to continue racing the F2002.

Practice

Ralf Schumacher and Montoya set the pace in Friday free practice, which takes place in dry, sunny conditions. Michael Schumacher clips the kerb at Variante Bassa, damaging the left-rear suspension.

Jos Verstappen crashes into the wall at Variante Alta during qualifying, becoming the first driver under the new format to fail to set a competitive lap time.