Ferrari ‘breakthrough’?

Ferrari 'breakthrough' or magic Bridgestone? Whether one or the other, the reigning title winner left 2005 championship leader Renault a little worried at Imola. Fernando Alonso struggled with a damaged and de-tuned Renault engine throughout the weekend in Italy, but Pat Symonds said that doesn't explain an up to 2-second per-lap deficit to Michael Schumacher. ''Their car is obviously quick,'' the engineering director said, ''(and the) Bridgestones were … working well.''

You won't, though, sense a lot of panic from within the blue-and-yellow grand prix camp. Barcelona, scene of the next outing, is 'everything (Imola) isn't,' Symonds insisted. BAR's Nick Fry, meanwhile, had no doubt Ferrari's pace was 'the tire, not the (F2005) car.'