After San Marino it looked as if Ferrari had turned the corner and were once again competitive, yet this performance flattered only to deceive and Barcelona was a disaster for the Scuderia. It didn’t start off too badly with Schuey 4th fastest in the first free practice session on Friday, then he dropped to 13th, with Rubens in 11th.

In Q1, both Ferraris just looked like they hadn’t got any grip, with Schuey ending up 7th and Rubens 9th. However worse news was to come for the Brazilian - a cracked cylinder block enforced an engine change which meant he would have to drop 10 places on the grid, a severe blow given Ferrari’s previously excellent record of mechanical reliability.

Things got worse in second qualifying with MS dropping to 8th but there was always the hope that he was fuel-heavy and the Bridgestones would come in to enable him to make a charge prior to his first pit stop. But it looked like a podium was the best we could hope for. Raikkonen took pole ahead of Webber and Alonso but as the Australian had jumped from 6th to 2nd there was a strong suspicion that he was running light. Barrichello would have to start dead last, behind even the ludicrous Minardis whose new car was 5 seconds a lap off the pace!

Things were even worse for BAR who went home after being disqualified at San Marino for running a car which had the potential to be underweight and receiving a two race ban. I wonder what Dave Richards must be thinking.....?

At the start of the race there was a puff of smoke from the rear tyres of both Minardis, they then both stalled which caused the safety car to be deployed. At the re-start, Raikkonen got the drop on Alonso, who’d previously out-dragged Webber. The Finn then simply ran away and hid, turning in a stunning series of fastest laps to which neither Alonso nor anyone else had any answer.

MS passed Montoya, back in the second McLaren, on the first lap but the Colombian got the place back on lap 3. The race then settled down to the dull phase common under this year’s regulations, but with the hope that things would liven up as tyre wear caused the cars to telescope up. Unfortunately, this time they didn't.

I decided to watch the first ad. break, rather than put the kettle on, because there were calls from outraged fans to boycott the products featured in the notorious last break three or four laps from the end of the San Marino GP. At the time, it stuck me just how crass and contrived the ads seemed, compared to the sight of two of the best drivers in the world fighting for the lead of a GP, but whatever – they pay the rent. I had a wry smile at the Honda "Power of Dreams” ad., I bet that made them cringe!

ITV said that they didn’t want to run an ad. break in the San Marino GP whilst Button was in the lead. At the time I wondered why because many hard-core fans don’t rate Button and just want to see the best bloke win, irrespective of nationality, after an exciting race [as long as he’s in a Ferrari – Ed.], but have now realised this was for the general purpose Ingerland supporter. Still, we should be grateful for seeing anything at all - but I wish they’d bring back “The Chain”.

Anyway, back to the race. Webber stopped first, on lap 18, confirming that he was running well light, then Ralf, Trulli and Raikkonen, who had built up a big enough lead to stay in front, Massa and Coulthud, Alonso, Fisichella etc. and Schuey was still out there, set a fastest lap and is second behind Raikkonen – this is it folks! Except it wasn’t - he dropped to fourth after his pit-stop, was briefly third when Fisichella pitted for a new nose, then disaster, a rear puncture on lap 44, then a front puncture two laps later. Schuey scrapes back to the pits and straight into the garage and retirement.

Meanwhile, Rubens has suffered the indignity of being lapped by Raikkonen, but gamely fought on in the hope of salvaging a point but sadly to no avail, finishing ninth.

Raikkonen took a peerless win and Alonso came home second in what was a dull race. Alonso increasingly looks like a champion. He qualifies well, wins when the car is quick enough, can withstand pressure and did the best job possible in Spain when he couldn’t win. It now seems that the only hope Ferrari have is that Raikkonen, Alonso and the Toyotas (who finished third and fourth) will take points off each other. However, it emerged last week that Toyota have competed for years without the correct paperwork and the matter is under investigation by the FIA. Fisichella cannot be discounted either, he finished fifth after his troubles, and strangely, set the overall fastest lap on the very last lap of the race!

After the race, Luca di Montezemolo publicly expressed his concern over the tyres, not a happy state of affairs. Maybe Ferrari and Bridgestone need to take a leaf out of Williams F1's book. With rumours abounding that BMW are losing patience and looking to buy a stake in Sauber, they have responded by announcing a management restructuring, the formation of a Senior Management Group (SMG) which “will be the key decision-making forum within the organization. The SMG is intended to enhance performance throughout WilliamsF1 through a more focused allocation of responsibilities, leading to improved target setting and deliverability”. That's bound to fix it. Whatever next, Competence Frameworks, Mission Statements, "Investors in People"? It’s certainly a long way from Sir Frank doing deals from a phone box.

Finally, I can report that TV advertising does work. Following the Scuderia's disastrous performance in a boring race, all I could think about later that afternoon was creosoting my fence. I can only think it was because of the "Cuprinol" ad..

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