On this day, 22 years ago, Ferrari men Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello ended Ferrari’s 20-year wait. Led by the 4x world champion at the time, Ferrari secured a 1-2 finish in a race in Imola. This was the team’s first 1-2 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari after the 1982 San Marino GP. The race in 1982 was highly controversial and left a lasting impact on some individuals. However, the 2002 race certainly was an iconic one for the Scuderia at home.
Despite securing both the driver’s and constructor’s championships in 2000 and 2001, dominating the race in Imola remained elusive. Then in the 2002 season, it wasn’t until the third race of the season in Brazil that Ferrari introduced the F2002. Schumacher drove in a new chassis and won the race. It set the tone for the memorable San Marino GP in Imola, the fourth round of the season.
Now the Italian team was ready with two F2002s for the home race. The Ferrari men locked out the front row for the race. However, Barrichello lost his position to Michael Schumacher‘s brother Ralf at the start. He remained behind until the mid-way point before the first pitstop.
After gaining an advantage during the pitstop, Barrichello ran in second until the chequered flag. The race result ended the team’s 20-year wait of a 1-2 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.
The race also marked the first 1-2 in the new F2002s in the season. The Schumacher and Barrichello duo went on to win 15 races in the 17-race season. However, the 1982 race was not as harmonious for the then-Ferrari driver duo.
The Ferrari controversy at the 1982 San Marino Grand Prix
The 1982 San Marino GP in Imola became controversial even before the race weekend began. The race was boycotted by multiple teams because of a political war between FISA and FOCA, the two governing bodies of the sport at the time.
The boycott meant only 7 teams took part in the race fielding 14 drivers. However, it was the on-track incident between the then-Ferrari men Didier Pironi and Gilles Villeneuve that made the race controversial.
After both Renaults retired during the race, Villeneuve was in the lead with teammate Pironi in second place. The team ordered Villeneuve to slow down for a photo finish creating a spectacle for the home crowd at the iconic circuit. The Canadian interpreted the team order as – maintaining position to finish in formation. However, Didier Pironi was not on the same page and overtook his teammate on the final lap snatching the win away.
This outcome infuriated Villeneuve to the core and he swore to never speak to his teammate ever again. Sadly, two weeks later during the Belgian GP, the Canadian lost his life. He met with a fatal accident as he crashed during the qualifying session at Circuit Zolder. So despite securing an iconic 1-2 at home turf, the race is remembered as one of the most controversial races in Ferrari’s history.
