San Marino 2000
Schumi wins at Imola

It was extremely bittersweet for me to come here, since it was the first time I had been to Imola since my only sporting hero passed away. I saved Tamburello for last to give some perspective to the sport of racing.  I am not sure if the 'Leonardo' in the graffiti of the last photo is Ayrton's brother, but the sentiment of all Brasilianos is the same. That little area is a very sad place; even on race weekend people are respectfully quiet passing the homage to the greatest F1 driver.

Nevertheless, the F1 Paddock doesn't at all resemble any other in racing.  Below are some of the better photos I have from Imola.  If you do wish to copy any, please ask first.

me&hhfrentzen.jpg (38645 byte)
Heinz-Harald Frentzen		 me&eddiejordan.jpg (34123 byte)
EJ		 mika-returns.jpg (39608 byte)
Red all over		 me&jag-bike.jpg (43342 byte)
50cc		 me&safety-car.jpg (42635 byte)
Gorgeous car
me&murraywalker.jpg (70452 byte)
Murray Walker		 max-mosley-2.jpg (30580 byte)
the boss, and		 bernie.jpg (44357 byte)
THE BOSS		 berger-1.jpg (28513 byte)
Gerhard Berger		 mika&erja.jpg (33190 byte)
Mika & Erja
me&alainprost.jpg (39150 byte)
Alain Prost, a HUGE moment for me		 me&keke.jpg (32037 byte)
Keijo 'Keke' Rosberg before		 keke&helmet-2.jpg (35736 byte)
and after signing one of his helmets		 me&marcgene.jpg (26383 byte)
Minardi man Marc Gene		 jacques-pit.jpg (47686 byte)
Birthday boy Jacques Villeneuve
coulthard-smile.jpg (18534 byte)
David Coulthard has the..		 coulthard-bike.jpg (73112 byte)
coolest bike in the paddock.		 Jacques-upclose.jpg (19921 byte)
Jacques faces the press		 mclaren-techtruck.jpg (57432 byte)
McLaren HQ		 jarnotrulli&media-2.jpg (39609 byte)
Jarno Trulli, a big surprise

Ferrari, for the tifosi in the audience

ferrari-hq.jpg (49129 byte)
the Fortress.		 me-in-vip.jpg (39711 byte)
in the VIP area		 me&rubens.jpg (32952 byte)
Rubens at the hotel		 rubens-pitenter.jpg (48413 byte)
Rubinho pitting		 rubens-backup.jpg (53779 byte)
and backing up
schu-backup.jpg (57633 byte)
Schuey backs in		 closeup-sur.jpg (27885 byte)
...surrounded		 closeup-ace.jpg (49559 byte)
surveying		 schus-lid.jpg (27561 byte)
the winning lid		 schumi-waves-a1.jpg (48654 byte)
smile says it all

 

Tamburello,  Sempre Senna.
tamburello-full.jpg (70648 byte) tamburello-leo.jpg (63753 byte)

All photos shot by and copyright Autosport.Net, Inc.
Permission to copy must first be obtained and credit must be given. Thanks.
pass-front.jpg (43501 byte)