San Marino GP Benetton race notes

The Mild Seven Benetton Renault Sport team had a solid race at Imola on Sunday and managed to bring one car home to the chequered flag.

Jenson Button was classified 12th with a race time of 1hr31m44.611, while his team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella retired with a misfire to his B201 on Lap 31.

The race was run in sunny weather with a maximum track temperature of 27.

Afterwards, Mike Gascoyne the team's Technical Director said:

"It is always pleasing at this point in the season that we can get a car to the finish. This means that Renault Sport will have had the opportunity to gather a lot of good information.

"Unfortunately for Jenson, on his first fuel stop we had a re-fuelling failure, which meant that he got no fuel and had to come back in immediately. Obviously this ruined his race, but he did a good job to bring the car home.

"Giancarlo made an excellent start," he continued. "He made up a lot of places and was running competitively with those around him, then just before his first pit stop he developed a misfire which got increasingly worse.

"He was able to hold onto his position for a while after his first stop, but eventually the misfire became too bad and we had to stop the car," he added.

Jenson Button said afterwards he was just pleased to get to the finish, saying:

"In the first few laps I managed to catch up with some cars, but I then had a setback as no fuel went into the car at the first pitstop, so it wasn't an amazing start for my race.

"I have had problems with my shoulder and racing an anti clockwise circuit puts more strain on it than usual," he continued, "but I am glad we managed to get the car to the finish."

His team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella was sad not to finish his first 'home' event of the season, saying:

"It has been a very disappointing Grand Prix for me. We have seen improvements during the first few races, but unfortunately I had to retire today due to a misfire.

"I was pleased with the car and the set up before the start of the race and during the first few laps, but on the 31st lap the car misfired and I retired after my second pit stop.

"It is never fun to finish after just half the race," he added.

The team now move to Silverstone, where Jenson Button will test traction and differential controls in the B200 from 17th-19th April, while Giancarlo Fisichella will be running in the B201 on Thursday 19th April for engine work and to continue a tyre programme with Michelin.

- Benetton