The San Marino Grand Prix 2003 in Imola it was raced special conditions for the Schumacher brothers. In fact, Michael and Ralf, after qualifying on Saturday, they were forced to return to Germany in the evening to pay homage to theirs mother just passed away. Elisabeth was only 54 years old and had been suffering from cancer for some time, she died of a brain aneurysm.
The Schumacher brothers side by side in the front row
The Ferrari arrived at the appointment, the fourth of the world championship, without having won a race yet. In the three overseas events, victories were achieved by McLaren and Renault. Despite the results still not exciting, the Maranello team decided Don’t anticipate the debut of the new F2003GA.
It wasn’t a problem for Michael Schumacher. The 5 times (at the time) world champion, he managed to obtain the pole position in qualifying on Saturday. Behind himalmost as if it were a sign of destiny, indeed brother Ralf on Williams. Their respective teammates, Rubens Barrichello and Juan Pablo Montoya, placed behind them in that order.
The first stages of the 2003 Imola Grand Prix
The Schumacher brothersdespite the pain of the early loss, they decided to honor their front row returning to Imola for the San Marino Grand Prix. Off we go Ralph, thanks to a better idea from Michael, managed to take the lead of the race, there were no particular shocks behind them. The race continued with a very linear trend until 16th lap, when Ralf Schumacher made his first stop in the pits.
The brother Michael did it on the next lap and, when everyone completed their first stop, he found himself leading the race. From now on the kaiser began to impose a great pace on the race, putting more and more light between himself and his opponents. At the second stop, Kimi Raikkonenon McLaren he managed to climb back to second position, becoming the Michael’s danger number 1.
After third and final lap in the pits, the situation at the summit did not change. Michael Schumacher managed to keep the lead in the Grand Prix ahead of Kimi Raikkonen, the only change in the top positions occurred due to a problem during the pit stop of Rubens Barrichello’s Ferrari. The Brazilian driver paid a problem with a nut on the front lefthis stop lasted over 13 seconds.
Michael Schumacher’s victory and emotion
Just the Brazilian however he managed to warm up the Imola public with a nice overtaking on Ralf Schumacher at the Variante Bassa in the final laps. The race ended with the victory of Michael Schumacher who won his first victory of 2003 at Imola. Behind him came Kimi Raikkonen and Rubens Barrichello, Ralf finished at the foot of the podium in fourth position.
The FIAgiven the events of the previous day, had decided to give the Schumacher brothers the opportunity not to participate in all the various pre- and post-race ceremonies. Despite this, Michael decided to get on the podium, in front of the red crowd in Imola, with the mourning on his arm that he and Ralf wore throughout the race. His gaze, dull and constantly turned upwardswas the perfect image of the very difficult moment he was going through.
That look on the podium helped, and still helps, to understand that the pilotshowever cold they may seem, as in the case of Michael, they are still human beings. And as such, they often fail to hide their emotions.
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