MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo won the San Marino Grand Prix for Yamaha on Sunday but Marc Marquez extended his overall lead to 34 points after finishing second.
The Ducati rider's eighth victory of the season, his third consecutive win, gave him an 85-point lead over Italy's Valentino Rossi.
The Renault driver held off a strong challenge from seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher.
Michael Schumacher won the San Marino Grand Prix for his and Ferrari's first victory of the F1 season
The rookie Indian driver, who failed to finish the last GP in Bahrain, was hopeful of another decent finish at Imola next Sunday and was happy with the progress.
He will start on the front row alongside Renault's Fernando Alonso. India's Narain Karthikeyan qualified on 17th place.
San Marino Grand Prix organisers remained hopeful on Tuesday that they would have a Formula One race next year despite it being left off the 2007 calendar.
The FIA will appeal the decision of race stewards not to take action over his car's weight.
For a young sports reporter, still cutting his teeth in journalism, the prospect of covering the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix seemed like a dream assignment.
Past races at Imola have been designated the San Marino Grand Prix but last year's, the first at the circuit since 2006, was called the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix after the surrounding region.
Ferrari introduced their F2005 at the last race in Bahrain, advancing its debut in response to Renault's domination
Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said earlier in the year that the circuit near Bologna, which is looking for government funding to upgrade the facilities, would be making its final appearance on the calendar this season.
Ferrari's Michael Schumacher says his victory in last month's San Marino Grand Prix was no flash in the pan.
"These victories are also going to generate an excess of euphoria so we have to be cautious," said the Spaniard.
Italy's Imola circuit will host grands prix for at least another five years, local officials said on Monday after meeting Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Honda's Otmar Szafnauer said Imola represented the first of several significant steps planned by BAR's Japanese engine partner this season.
Ferrari are the most successful team at the Nuerburgring with 13 wins.
Jenson Button cannot have enjoyed his afternoon off on Sunday after Formula One's governing body took the BAR out of Barcelona.
McLaren's Juan Pablo Montoya, returning to Formula One after missing two races due to injury, crashed heavily in practice.
A Ferrari Testarossa sports car stolen from Austrian Formula One driver Gerhard Berger during the 1995 San Marino Grand Prix weekend has been recovered by London police almost 29 years later.
Alonso's victory at Ferrari's home circuit was his third win in a row this season and the team's fourth in four races.
Nineteen-year-old Japanese Moto2 rider Shoya Tomizawa has died after a crash during Sunday's San Marino Grand Prix, the second death in the sport in two events.
Brazilian Bruno Senna will race for Williams this season, following in the footsteps of his late uncle and triple world champion Ayrton who died in one of the Formula One team's cars at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix.
MotoGP leader Valentino Rossi extended his advantage over Yamaha team mate Jorge Lorenzo by winning the San Marino Grand Prix in front of his home crowd on Sunday. World champion Rossi, now 30 points clear of the Spaniard with four races left, started on pole for the first time at Misano but quickly dropped down to fourth before battling back up to first where he then sped away from the field.
Michael Schumacher broke the record of late great Ayrton Senna by storming to his 66th pole position of his career
The seven times Formula One champion says Ferrari cannot afford to fire any more blanks.
The decision confirmed Germany's Nick Heidfeld as the eighth placed driver and relegated Ralf Schumacher to 11th at the San Marino Grand Prix.
McLaren struggled, with Kimi Raikkonen eighth fastest and David Coulthard 11th in Friday's first practice for the San Marino Grand Prix.
She had slipped into a coma following a fall at her home last Saturday and underwent an emergency operation.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances