Ferrari Hope for Revival at Home Track

Champions Ferrari set their sights on a winning return to Europe on Sunday after drawing a blank in Brazil and failing to score points in a Formula One race for the first time since 1999.

"Today's race was frustrating but that's racing," team principal Jean Todt said.

"We had the quickest car on the track and what could have ended as a one-two finish turned into a race which left us with nothing at all. I hope that the return to Europe, in front of our fans in Imola, will signal the end of what has been a difficult run of Grands Prix for us."

The San Marino Grand Prix is on April 20.

Five-times World Champion Michael Schumacher crashed out on lap 27 after skidding on standing water on a treacherous turn three that also caught out four other drivers. It was his first race retirement since his home race at Hockenheim in Germany in July 2001.

Brazilian Rubens Barrichello retired while in the lead with a fuel feed problem, the ninth year in a row that he has failed to finish in his home race. Schumacher, who has yet to appear on the podium this year after a record 11 wins in 2002 and finishing in the top three in every race, also expressed his disappointment.

"We both had the possibility of winning today," he said. "The weather conditions were difficult but acceptable.

"I was aquaplaning and in this situation you are just a passenger in the car," he said of his crash. "In terms of the championship it would have been better for us if Fisichella had won this race, especially as Giancarlo drove a good race anyway.

"But the gap to the championship leader is not so big, given that there are still 13 races, so there is no need to be concerned about it."

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen won Sunday's race, ahead of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella in a Jordan, and extended his championship lead to 11 points over teammate David Coulthard and 18 over Schumacher.