Ralf not expecting 'miracles'

So far this season Ferrari was won every race, and although BAR-Honda and Jenson Button have raised their game to become podium finishers in the last two GPs, Williams has looked the team most likely to break the red stranglehold. Juan Pablo Montoya finished second in Malaysia and was closest to the Ferraris in Bahrain until his gearbox failed. But Ralf is not sure the start of the European season will see a turn in the tide.

"Miracles should not be expected from us in Imola," said Schumacher. "But the circuit has always suited our car. During our most recent tests at Barcelona and Paul Ricard, we have made improvements, so I believe we will be able to close the gap to the front-runners."

BMW WilliamsF1 have tested several aerodynamic modifications, covering over 3,500 miles in the last two weeks. It also evaluated various Michelin compounds more suited to the cooler European weather teams are expecting in Imola.

"San Marino can be quite cold at this time of year, so we have been testing at the Paul Ricard circuit in France this week to simulate - as closely as possible - the conditions we will experience in Imola," said the team's chief operations engineer Sam Michael. "We have made some aerodynamic improvements to the cars which we will run in Imola and we hope these will improve our competitiveness."

Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello has warned rivals that the world champion team has not been idle during the three week break between the Bahrain GP and Imola and believes that it has made a step forward itself in testing.

"There is more to come," said the Brazilian. "It was difficult to find the limit of last year's car right up until the end of the year, but this one is better in all repects. With Ferrari you can never be happy enough and you are improving all the time."