Preview: Schumacher Seeks Win on Senna Weekend

Ferrari's Michael Schumacher intends to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Ayrton Senna's death at Imola with another win on what could be a final farewell to the circuit on Sunday.

Schumacher has been the winning surname at the San Marino Grand Prix for the past five years, World Champion Michael taking the honours four times and younger brother Ralf victorious for Williams in 2001.

Just as in 1994, when the German was at Benetton and went on to win the first of his six titles after Senna's tragic accident, Schumacher is on a roll with three straight wins. Unlike that fateful year, Schumacher has also started every race from pole position.

If he keeps it up, which Formula One rivals fear he is well equipped to do, he will be a step away from rivalling Briton Nigel Mansell's 1992 record start with Williams of five straight victories from pole.

Although Imola will always have terrible memories, Schumacher winning last year hours after his mother had died and admitting last week that he contemplated quitting the sport after Austrian Roland Ratzenberger and Senna were killed, Ferrari's home track has been good to him.

The first race of the European season could be the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit's swansong after Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said as much earlier in the year. If it is, then Schumacher wants to say farewell in style.

"We always do well at Imola and I hope that we are able to live up to our billing as favourites," he said.

Senna Remembered

A victory for Schumacher's Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello, a close friend of Senna's, would be more emotional.

"I am excited at the prospect of this race, even though it is a weekend when everyone is going to be talking about Ayrton," said Barrichello.

"I just hope that people will be celebrating his life and remembering all the good things about him. Imola is the place where he got killed, but we have to remember his achievements and I am going there in a positive frame of mind."

The Ferrari pair have finished one-two twice in three races but they may not have it all their own way.

Renault, second in the Championship, expect to be far more competitive with a revised engine and aerodynamic package while BAR, with Briton Jenson Button third in Malaysia and Bahrain, believe they can keep up their momentum.

Michelin, tyre suppliers for Ferrari's main rivals, were soundly beaten by Bridgestone away from Europe but sound far more bullish now.

"Will we be able to score our first victory of the season in San Marino?" asked Michelin motorsport head Pierre Dupasquier. "Well, we have done a considerable amount of testing since the last race in Bahrain and the results are most encouraging."

Williams, Senna's last team, hope to fight back at a circuit where overtaking is difficult and high kerbs can unsettle a car's balance.

"We shouldn't expect a miracle in Imola but the circuit has always suited our car," said Ralf Schumacher who took his first career win there.

Miracles are unlikely to happen either for McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, last year's championship runner-up, whose first aim must be to finish and score his first points of 2004 after three retirements in a row.