Race report: Broken rib doesn't stop Webber

The Australian, who had qualified his Super Nova Lola on pole, led from the lights to the flag, with Darren Manning second for Team Arden and Tomas Enge filling the final podium spot for Nordic Racing.

In Brazil a fortnight ago, the Benetton test driver had finished second on the road, but was demoted to seventh by a 25s penalty for overtaking under a yellow flag.

As races go, Imola was far from a classic, with the top eight places remaining static after a frenetic first couple of corners. Webber took the lead off the line, but was challenged by Manning until squeezing him onto the grass in the run to the Tamburello chicane.

"I feel good," said Webber. "This is what I came here to do. I got away well initially, but stuffed my change from second to third. I had to be very defensive with Darren and then Tomas gave me a tap too, but everything was okay."

"I'm a bit disappointed not to have got through after getting such a good start," shrugged Manning. "But that's racing - nobody's going to give places away."

Manning held on to second, despite an attack from Enge, while Antonio Pizzonia made a demon start to move from seventh from to fourth.

As the Brazilian made places, front-row starter Patrick Friesacher lost them, dropping from second to fifth, while Giorgio Pantano went across the Tamburello gravel in his Astromega car and dropped out of contention for points.

Seven laps into the race, Gabriele Varano had a massive accident when he lost it on the kerbs at the exit of the Tamburello chicane. But the tub of his Prost Junior Team Lola stood up well to the impact and the Italian escaped with nothing more than dizziness and nausea after spinning almost a dozen times after the initial impact with the wall.

Farcically, with the Safety Car deployed, a rubber-necking Derek Hill managed to collide with the back of Calcagni's KJR Lola, putting both cars on the grass and out of the race. Luckily, the pair managed to avoid marshals working to free Varano from his wrecked car.

At the restart on lap 13, Manning again tried challenging Webber for the lead, but the Aussie had his measure and was able to pull out a 3.3s gap at the end.

"Things were hooking up quite well before the Safety Car," said Webber. "That was a bit of a pain, but after the restart, it was nice to see Darren going back from me."

"I felt I had the advantage over Mark," added Manning, "but it's hard work running under somebody's rear wing and I cooked my tyres. On another track, I could have got past."

With his rib causing some pain, Webber had received a check-over from Professor Sid Watkins before the race and had also seen countryman Mick Doohan's doctor for strapping and physiotherapy. But victory seemed to ease the pain, and after the disappointment of Brazil, Webber was confident that this result would stick.

"After Brazil, I think I've got these points for sure," he smiled.


Round 2 - Imola (I), April 14, 31 laps.

Mark Webber (AUS), Super Nova Racing, 56m45.779s
Darren Manning (GB), Arden Team Russia, +3.3s
Tomas Enge (CZE), Nordic Racing, +4.0s
Antonio Pizzonia (BRA), Petrobras Junior Team, +9.7s
Patrick Friesacher (A), Red Bull Junior Team, +10.1s
Justin Wilson (GB), Nordic Racing, +10.9s
Rodrigo Sperafico (BRA), Coloni, +15.0s
Fabrizio Gollin (I), Coloni, +17.2s
Bas Leinders (B), KTR, +29.1s
Viktor Maslov (RUS), Arden Team Russia, +31.6s


Justin Wilson, 11