San Marino GP – update update
Toyota have dropped their appeal against Ralf Schumacher’s 25-second penalty in the San Marino Grand Prix.
This means the points are as laid out in my previous F1 entry.
No word as yet on the Jenson Button issue [BBC article] – “the case will be heard by [the FIA's] International Court of Appeal in Paris on 4 May.”
San Marino GP – update
Ralf Schumacher has been stripped of eighth place in Sunday’s San Marino Grand Prix after 25 seconds were added to his time for a pitstop incident.Stewards said Toyota had released Schumacher from his second pitstop before it was safe to do so.
The penalty means fellow German Nick Heidfeld, who initially finished ninth at Imola in his Williams, is promoted to eighth place.
But Toyota hope to have the decision reversed on appeal.
[Also on the official F1 site]
25 seconds seems a very artibitary penalty – why not 15s or 30s?
Update: “Toyota have dropped their appeal against Ralf Schumacher’s 25-second penalty in the San Marino Grand Prix.”
Also, the FIA are appealing the race stewards’ decision not to penalise Jenson Button / BAR for the car being underweight. Hang on – the FIA are appealing the decision, not one of the other teams?! Huh? [BBC report] [FIA article] [More @ BBC - "FIA decided to appeal, and the case will be heard by its International Court of Appeal in Paris on 4 May."]
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San Marino Grand Prix – Race
[See my entries for Friday practice #2, Saturday qualifying and today's (final) qualifying session.] [Complete season calendar]
Wurz is standing in for Montoya, who’s expected back for the Spanish GP
Webber is still recovering from a couple of cracked ribs
Heidfeld trapped a nerve in his neck in practice but says he’s OK now
Massa’s engine change means a 10-place penalty
Formation lap: GF a little slow off the line, but he looks OK now
TSN have gone over to the ITV feed, which is cutting out, but I’d rather hear bits of ITV than all of TSN!
Everyone’s taking the spots …
01/62: Yellow flags near the back of the grid – couldn’t see who it was for (FM?)
MW braves it out round the outside of TS – that was tight
02: KR, FA, JB, JT, MW, TS, AW, JV
DC down to P15
The official F1 site is very slow – almost half a lap behind the action
03: KR leads FA by 2.6s
04: MS closing up on his brother, who’s dropped a couple of places from the grid
06: KR, FA, JB, JT, MW, TS, AW, JV
GF off! Odd way to go off, but he hit the wall and he’s out
(F1 feeds looks like it’s come back to life)
09: KR sets fastest lap and then suddenly slows … he’s crawling along 
PF also pulling off after leaving the pits
10/62: FA, JB, JT, MW, TS, AW, JV, RB (3 retirements: GF, PF & KR)
11: ITV commentator in the McLaren garage says KR threw his steering wheel clear across the garage!
12: MS still behind little brother RS (P11 & 10 respectively)
15: FA leads JB by ~9s
16: FM pits – TV pictures show Sauber bodywork just off-track – did he clip DC?
17: RB pits from P8 – 9.0s
18: JB slowly reeling in FA
19: RB pits … and retires the Ferrari
20/62: FA, JB, JT, MW, TS, AW, JV, NH (4 retirements)
JB sets fastest lap 1:23.163
21: JB setting fastest sector times again – is he pitting soon? Another f/lap 1:22.892
22: NH and RS pit together
MW, TS and AW battling for P4 – very close
TS takes MW
JB sets another f/lap
23: JT and MW pit together
JT comes out just ahead
24: FA pits from P1
TS pits too … as does JV
25: JB pits from P1 – tyre pressure changes?
MS putting in fastest sectors – f/lap 1:22.287
26: AW pits – rejoins ahead of TS
DC pits too – wing adjustment
27: MS f/lap 1:22.070 – how much fuel was MS carrying in qualifying?
VL is the only other car yet to pit
28: MS pits from P3 – rejoins ahead of AW
VL pits too, so now everyone has stopped once
30/62: FA, JB, MS, AW, TS, JT, MW, JV (5 retirements: GF, PF, KR, RB & CA)
MW just 0.3s behind JT, and JV is 0.5s off MW
31: JV passes MW for P7 when he runs wide
MS took on about as much fuel as everyone else, so he’ll make his 2nd stop later and therefore it’ll be a shorter stop – he’s got a chance of challenging FA for the lead
34: FA leads JB by ~10s; MS is ~13.5s behind JB but he’s lapping ~1.5s quicker, so he could catch him in ~9 laps!
37: FA still 10.5s ahead of JB, but MS is now just 7.5s behind!
38: FM barges through DC (and gesticulates at him!) to take P12 – hopefully the stewards will look at that move
39: FA -9.1s- JB -4.6s- MS; FA lap time 1:24.057; JB 1:23.836; MS 1:23.175
40/62: MS takes another 1.8s out of JB’s lead – now just 2.8s
41: MS just 1.5s behind JB
42: FA pits from P1 – that’s early
43: MW pits from P8
44: JB lead 0.4s … MS looking stronger under breaking, but can he get up close enough or will he wait for JB to pit?
45: JB laps DC (P12)
NH & RS pit together from P8 & P9
46: Ferrari crew in the pit lane – they’re going to bring MS in early so he’s not held up by JB
JT pits from P6
MS doesn’t pit though
47: TS pits – that means JB can’t pit, so now’s MS’s chance
JB stuck behind the two Williams – MS chops past for P1
48: AW pits from P4
MS sets fastest S2 and S3
49: JB pits from P2
Another fastest sector (S1) from MS
MS pits from P1 … rejoins behind FA for P2
50/62: FA leads MS by just 1.3s; JB ~11s behind in P3
53: FA still holding MS off, but there’s still 10 laps left
54: FA too defensive and allowing MS to get within a couple of feet
56: FA closing on newbie VL … will he move out the way quickly?
FA’s doing a good job of holding MS off
58: VL is 0.7s behind MW (P10) so will he be watching for the blue flags?
60/62: MS having a look in Tosa
FA is taking his time closing in on VL … in fact FM is catching MS!
62/62: Last lap – where will MS have a lunge?
MS takes another look through Tosa but FA holds him off
It’s SO close!
MS locks up in the final corner … and FA takes P1!! What a race! 
That’s a hat-trick of victories for Alonso
FA looks very happy as he exits the car
The track is swamped by the tifosi – I didn’t think that was approved of anymore? (I remember Silverstone being fined for “allowing” it!) Personally I think it should be permitted, but then there’s the problem of clearing it for the next race of the day.
Apparently it’s MS’s 100th podium finish. He’s just as smug as ever – ‘just think what could have been’ if it wasn’t for “what happened to me” this morning – er, it didn’t happen “to” you, you ran wide! Shut up you smug expletive! (You’d think from how long his interview is dragging on that he’d won, not Alonso.)
Button seems much happier with the car, although they were struggling with fuel loads.
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Next race: Spain in 2 weeks (May 06-08) [calendar]
Update: Ralf penalised! … and so have BAR!!
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