Located in rural mid - Eastern France,120 miles south of Paris – the 4.4 kilometre Magny Cours race circuit had received a re-profiled corner immediate to the start/finish line since the F1 circus’ last visit – though nobody had shared this with Jarno Trulli!

Originally conceived as a 2.1 kilometere track in 1960 and named the “Circuit Jean Behra” – Magny Cours has evolved into the unofficial home of French motorsport, with the highly rated ORECA GT and Snobeck Ice Rally teams on site and of course the smoothest race surface on the planet.

Following his accident, subsequent release from an Indianapolis hospital and confirmation of F1’s worst kept secret - Ralf Schumacher’s seat at Williams was taken over by the likeable Spaniard Marc Gene. Gene has completed close to 8,000kms testing in the FW26 and repaid his employers with a steady drive to 10th place – have we seen the younger Schumacher’s last drive for Williams?

Saturday qualifying was warm (28 degrees) and sunny with Fernando Alonso converting a solid lap into pole, but outside Montoya’s 2003 fastest lap and with Michael gunning for his 7th win at the Nevers circuit – thereby matching his record in the Canadian Grand Prix.

With the arrival of the Adrian Newey penned MP4/19B, McLaren believe they have turned the corner in their disappointing 04 season and even Kimi Raikkonen and Ron Dennis managed to smile. Fresh from opening his second hotel, in Nottingham, UK ("The Dakota”) David Coulthard bagged 3rd slot ahead of Jenson Button.

With David Richards' and BAR’s support, Jenson has matured into an extremely quick, super-smooth driver who like Coulthard is easy on the equipment, unlike his team mate “Banzai" Sato.

Fresh from his crowd pleasing demonstrations at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, sole French driver Panis qualified 14th in his Toyota and yet again underlined the team's crass decision to part company with the vastly underrated Allan McNish.

Off - track, Formula 1 has heard of the resignation of Max Moseley who is fed up with the childish outlook of several team principals; the imminent sale of Jordan Grand Prix to the Saudi based Al Makhtoum family; the continuing spat between BRDC's Sir Jackie Stewart and Bernie Ecclestone and the viability of a race in London – am I the only “petrolhead” who finds this more interesting than the current on circuit activitity? F1 is an unrivalled motorsport spectacle, witness the alleged 400,000 people on London’s street’s last week, but the other teams need to catch up fast if they’re keen to end the domination of the Scuderia. Jean, Ross, Michael and the boys from Maranello have never looked more dominant than they did in France and with the emergence of new Sporting Director Stefano Domenicalli (at one time a gatekeeper at Imola!) and Head Strategist Luca Baldisseri the “post Montezemolo” era is in good hands!

Race day dawned dry and sunny with a 70,000 strong crowd hoping to see Alonso curtail Michael Schumacher’s current form – win no. 8 from 9 starts and his 60th for Ferrari. As usual the race was low on overtaking and thankfully free of incident save for the battered/bruised Montoya who spun exiting the last turn on lap 9. It is said that such is Michael’s faith in Ross Brawn’s direction that if he was told by Brawn to leave the track and head out of the gate he would do it without hesitation.

Highlights in the Mobil sponsored race were few, exacerbated by the French TV director's appalling race coverage which focused almost exclusively on the progress of the Renaults, whilst conveniently missing the Baldisseri inspired 4 stop strategy of MS, which enabled him to pass Alonso on lap 32 and win by 8.2 seconds, with Rubens a fine 3rd. Rubinho had started a lowly (by his standards) 10th and driven hard to catch Trulli and Button who disputed third place. He passed Jenson under braking for the hairpin and looked set for 4th until he dived inside Trulli on the entrance to the very last corner of the race ………judging by the body language of Flavio Briatore and team manager Pat Symonds, Trulli is unlikely to make the same mistake again!

With Scuderia Ferrari having twice as many constructor points as Renault and BAR together and Michael and Rubens atop the drivers' championship, could things get any better?

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Williams came up with some bodywork modifications - Montoya added a few of his own

Alonso took pole on genuine pace, but Renault had no answer to Ferrari's race strategy

Baldisseri inspired it...

...Ross called it...

...and these guys delivered it

The Grey Empire returned to form with the MP4-19B - Coulthard taking sixth place

Rubens nicked third place at the last corner

You'd have to feel sorry for Trulli - but for that hair style!

Schuey really earned this one

Ferrari rubbed Renault's nose in it at their home GP

pics by Ferrari Media, Schlegelmilch, Sutton, & Renault F1