Formula One San Marino Grand Prix: Crisis, what crisis? Michael Schumacher shrugged off a slew of early-season mishaps to launch himself back into the race for the Formula One drivers' title in emphatic style yesterday, claiming an expertly-controlled victory at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Schumacher arrived at Imola on Thursday without a podium finish to his name from the first three races, the five-time champion's worst run since a three-race streak of no-point finishes midway through the 2000 season.

Yesterday the champion provided a faultless demonstration of the prowess that had brought him three titles in as many years, so much so it served to remind onlookers that after that trio of missed opportunities in France, Austria and German, Schumacher thundered to a five-race sequence of podium appearances that included three wins and took him to Ferrari's first drivers' championship title in 21 years.

And the magnitude of yesterday's achievement at Imola was only increased when one considered the backdrop of personal grief against which it took place. Michael and brother Ralf hurried from the circuit after qualifying on Saturday afternoon - in which the pair had locked out the front row - to fly to Cologne where their mother, Elisabeth, lay critically ill in hospital, after complications following an operation and a fall at her home.

Sometime during the night the pair were informed that she had passed away.

Both decided to race, and afterwards, Ferrari managing director Jean Todt paid tribute to his driver's determination.

"We all know of Michael's achievements in Formula One but today he did an outstanding job," said Todt. "We have all seen the fantastic work Michael does as a driver but today he showed what he is as a man and we are very proud of him.

"It was very important to win at Imola, the first European Grand Prix," he added. "And achieved with the 2002 car and it was important to give such a good end to this unbelievable car. Its position is on the podium and that's where it was today."

At the start Schumacher appeared to be in for another difficult afternoon after he was demoted to second as his brother blasted away from the lights. But despite this and after a remarkable 15-lap display of fencing from the siblings, Michael re-established pre-eminence in the first round of stops. He beat Ralf to the punch with a brace of blistering in-laps after the Williams driver pitted on lap 16, laps which let him rejoin the fray in front.

It was a lead he would cement over the following clutch of laps, to the point where he enjoyed a 14-second lead that would only be diminished in the closing stages as he throttled back to protect his car.

Until that first sequence of pit stops, it seemed like, as in recent seasons, the race would be a straight fight between Ferrari and Williams, between the Bridgestones of the Italian team and the Michelins of the BMW-powered cars.

But as the quartet pitted, the race began to turn into a six-car battle as the McLarens of Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard raced on, the pair rising to within striking distance of the lead and, as their fuel loads lessened, closing the gaps created by their high-fuelled qualifying positions of sixth (Raikkonen) and 12th (Coulthard).

It was the unfolding of a brave and ultimately rewarding strategy from McLaren. As the bulk of the field attempted to make the most of Imola's quick lap times and short pit lane with a conservative three-stop strategy, McLaren balanced pace against fuel weight and stopped just twice. It was enough to eventually put Raikkonen second and Coulthard fifth, the pair profiting as Barrichello and Ralf Schumacher lost out through the need for a third stop.

Juan Pablo Montoya had already drifted out of contention following a fuel rig malfunction during a pit stop. While Barrichello returned to pressurise championship leader Raikkonen late on, following a remarkable overtaking manoeuvre on Ralf Schumacher on lap 51, the Brazilian's charge was too little too late and he was forced to settle for the podium's lowest step.

And it is perhaps in McLaren's strategic opportunism and the efficiency of its cars and drivers, that the shape of this early phase of the European season lies. The champion may have rediscovered his form but with Raikkonen second yesterday, the gap to the championship leader was only closed by two points.

Race strategy is now coming to the fore and precision not pace will be the key in the races ahead. Schumacher may have answered come immediate questions but there are 13 more to be answered. The crisis may be over but the uncertainty remains.

Meanwhile, after the highs of the previous fortnight, Imola was a dismal outing for Jordan. After showing well in the weekend's early sessions, the team were left mystified by a qualifying session that left Fisichella 17th and Ralph Firman 19th.

From such distant locales, success in the race was always a tall order and despite opting for a heavy fuel, two-stopping strategy with Firman, which left him starting from the pit lane, neither driver figured in the race, Firman departing on lap 54 with an engine failure and Fisichella pulling over with a similar failure, caused by an earlier hydraulic problem, the Italian having already lost time in his first pit stop.