Formula F%$#ed

[C4B]

For those who missed what the US F1 Grand Prix, all of the Michelin shod cars were pulled from the race prior to the start owing to the fact that Michelin couldn't guarantee the safety of the tyres they produced (on the high speed corners). This left 6 cars to start the race, and about 120,000 highly pissed of American spectators.

I doubt you'll see another F1 race in the US for about the next 100 years.......

[chilly]

do u think micheal will win :lol:

[Frankster_P]

Ruddy Michelin

Why change the rules to suit them though, if yuur cars or tyres arent up to it bad luck.

[goofafidamedes]

First and foremost I feel sorry for the patrons and sponsors of said Grand Prix event. Big $$$ up in smoke.

Secondly, I feel sorry for the drivers and teams who were ultimately unable to participate in the race proper. There will inevitably be a backlash against them (justified or not) and who knows where this may lead.

There could have been some form of leadership shown by the FIA in that they could have negiotiated a form of race that allowed the participation of all runners, but only allowed the 'legitimate' runners the ability to score championship points.

Really though, the FIA were caught in a "Catch 22" situation. Do you maintain the integrity of the regulations of the sport or do you put those aside in consideration of F1 as a business and entertainment industry?

Basically, its a major embarrassment for Michelin that they could not provide a suitable tyre for their contracted teams to use in the Grand Prix.

At the end of the day, I can't help but feel the FIA made the right sporting choice (one which I personally agree with) but the wrong business one. It just goes to show you can't please everyone.

[stingred]

:mad: i reakin michy tyres should invest in some good quality lube cause there gona cop a reamin after this one (god im glad i got the nankangs now)lol lol lol lol . :booty:

[Ghosn]

F1 are pushing for 1 brand tyre for the whole field in the near future, Im guessing it wont be michelin now.

[XLR8 V8]

Michelin needs a reaming, FIA needs one too with Bernie Eccleston preferring to have a farce of a race and damage F1 forever rather than concede to putting in a chicane that would have allowed the remainder of the Michelin shod teams to put their cars on the track.
But what disgusted me the most is the performance of the American public who attended the race .... sure, they might have been pissed off that their $$ for the tickets were wasted, but to throw beer and other debris at the 6 remaining cars racing at up to 320km/h was a farken disgrace! :mad: ..... if an accident had happened due to it and a driver killed, how would they feel about their "precious ticket money" then!?

[Falcon Freak]

FIA - :booty: :booty: :booty:
Michelin - :booty: :booty:
Ferrari not voting with the other teams - :booty:
Schumacher's move on Rubens - :booty:

FF

[bobbyvtls1]

can some one say who still raced, i dont follow what teams use what tyres

[all4ford]

Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi, I think. A real competitive race. lol.

[mavss]

The cars that raced were Ferarri, Jordan and Minardi.

Minardi & Jordan voted not to race in sympathy for the Michellin shod cars, but Jordan re-negged which forced Minardi to also race to ensure they didn't fall too far behind points-wise.

If today's events were embarrasing, imagine if Ferarri were the only cars on the grid. Their relationship with the other teams is strained at best, but that would have made it even worse and confirmed that they are nothing more than a bunch of points-whores.

For those of you commenting on the fans losing their money on the tickets, don't forget a lot of fans have forked out thousands of dollars on travel and accomodation in addition to the price of admission so although I don't condone their actions, I don't blame them at all. They should all be given the option of getting their money back.

[AWD 62L]

So did Minardi get any points, or did they retire?

[O5BRKY]

The race results should be canned,how can you allow only 6 cars and have a result. Horse racing has a No third place if there aren't enough horses in a race,this is just a big shame.

Oh yeah,that's right if Ferrari race no problems as don't they rule/control F1 racing,what they want they get,and stuff anyone else? :bash:

[VooDoo]

Technically you cant be awarded points unless 8 cars race (in the FIA rules)

[Nawdy]

Joint statement from the Michelin teams

The seven Michelin teams (Williams, Renault, McLaren, Sauber, BAR, Toyota and Sauber) have issued the following press release explaining their decision to pull out of Sunday’s US Grand Prix:

Formula One World Championship, Rd 9, United States Grand Prix, Race Day, Indianapolis, USA, 19 June 2005:

“The Michelin teams deeply regret the position that they have been put in today and would like to apologise to all the spectators, TV viewers, Formula One fans and sponsors for not being able to take part in today’s USA Grand Prix.

“Following Ralf Schumacher’s accident on Friday morning, we were advised by Michelin that none of the tyres that were available to the teams could be used unless the vehicle speed in turn 13 was reduced. Without this Michelin did not consider the tyre to be safe to be used for the race.

“All the teams are confident in Michelin and trust their advice as we know they are competent and responsible and their written instruction to us not to race unless changes to the circuit were made was accepted.

“After final data from Michelin became available at 06.30 on Sunday morning it became clear that Michelin were not able to guarantee the safety of the drivers. Numerous discussions and meetings took place to find a safe solution to the problem. Every possibility for the race to go ahead in a safe manner was explored. The only practical solution was for a chicane to be installed prior to Turn 13 and nine of the teams were prepared to run under these conditions even forgoing championship points or by allowing non-Michelin teams to take top positions on the grid.

“Unfortunately all proposals were rejected by the FIA.

“Safety is always the first concern of any team and the FIA. Regrettably the teams were obliged to follow Michelin’s requirements not to race.

“We are totally aware that the USA is an important market for Formula One and there is an obligation for Formula One to promote itself in a positive and professional manner. It is sad that we couldn’t showcase Formula One in the manner we would have liked today.”

Source (http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3201/740.html)

Statement To Fans By Indianapolis Motor Speedway CEO Tony George

Sunday, June 19, 2005
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway shares in the disappointment with the loyal fans of IMS and Formula One that we did not see the exciting race we all anticipated due to circumstances beyond our control.

The FIA, Formula One, the constructors and manufacturers that represent the cars on the starting grid made decisions on an individual basis to limit participation in today’s USGP.

We suggest the fans who wish to make their feelings known, contact the following:


Michelin

46, rue du Ressort

63100 Clermont-Ferrand

France

www.michelinsport.com


FIA

8 Place de la Concorde

F-75008 Paris

www.fia.com


Formula One Management

6 Princes Gate

Knightsbridge

London SW7 1QJ

United Kingdom

[Nawdy]

Sunday, June 19, 2005

NICK FRY (Chief executive officer, Lucky Strike BAR Honda): “We tried until five minutes before the pit lane to find a solution to this. We’ve been advised by our tire supplier that the tires are not safe to run, and we have to respect that. We can’t put our drivers in a situation that we’re told by a major company that it is not safe. I think it’s the worst possible advert for Formula One at the moment. To only have six cars running, and none of them in contention for the championship. It’s a great shame. Unfortunately, in the interest of safety, this decision was made.” (How close were you to a solution): “We all wanted to race, the drivers, the teams, that’s what we came here to do. Unfortunately, a solution couldn’t be found. We had to take the advice of our tire supplier.”

RON DENNIS (Team principal, West McLaren Mercedes): “We had a detailed written confirmation from Michelin that the tires were unsafe to run unless there was a chicane put in to slow the speed into this (Turn 13) corner. This was confirmed again (at) 5 o’clock this morning, and since that time we’ve been trying with other teams to convince FIA to put a chicane in the circuit, and they refused.” (So you have to think about the spectators, the 150,000 that come in here and all the spectators at home. What do you think about that?): “Our primary responsibility is to the safety of my drivers, and I fully understand the consequences for Formula One are severe, and certainly enjoyment for the spectators here. But we gave many hours notice that we had severe problems, and the explicit, absolute explicit documented information from Michelin prohibited us from racing on these tires unless we were able to reduce to corner speed of the corner leading onto the pit straights. The teams had no alternative. We were for this to be a non-championship race; we were prepared to race later; we were prepared to do virtually anything other than to race through that corner at high speed. And that’s an unacceptable risk.” (So you’re not pointing the finger at Ferrari and the FIA?): “Not pointing any fingers whatsoever; I’m saying we did everything we could along with nine other teams to find a solution to this problem, and as you can see, a solution wasn’t found.” (Could this possibly be the last time that Formula One comes to the United States due to this situation?): “I sincerely hope not.” (Please give me a synopsis of this day): “It’s a bad day for Formula One, but a clear demonstration of the difficulties the teams constantly have with finding solutions to problems. We initially were informed by Michelin on Friday, and the data coming to us has become more severe. The final tests in Europe were found to clearly demonstrate that we were unable to run on our tires and subject them to the forces leading to the turn onto the straight. Michelin has not hidden from their responsibilities, but their only solution was to put a chicane prior to this corner to reduce cornering speed, and this was rejected by the governing body.”

RICARDO ZONTA (#17 Panasonic Toyota Racing): “Of course, I would have liked to race, but in the conditions we had today it was really, really risky. Any car could crash on Lap 2, Lap 5 or Lap 70, so it was very dangerous, and nobody wants to damage himself. All Michelin teams decided it was better not racing, of course, for safety.”

CHRISTIAN KLIEN (#15 Red Bull Racing): “I think it is sad for everyone. We are all very disappointed for the racers, especially the spectators. They all came here to see a good race, but if (the drivers) crash going around the track, it is definitely not good for the sport here in America. There was a safety issue, and we were advised by Michelin to don’t race. Safety is first.” (About what could have happened): “For sure, the tires wouldn’t have lasted. That’s for sure. It would have worked out with a chicane in the last corner, but it didn’t, so we couldn’t race.” (About why they pulled out): “I mean, that’s Michelin and all the politics of Formula One for why we didn’t race.”

JACQUES VILLENEUVE (#11 Sauber Petronas): (About pulling out of the race): “We have no choice. The tires are dangerous. Probably every car would have blown their tires, which is also dangerous for the crowd. So, it was a Michelin decision, and that was the only decision they could make. We could have raced with a chicane, if a chicane had been put before the banking, but Ferrari didn’t accept.” (How do you feel for the fans?): “It’s extremely disappointing, but there are three teams still racing, and one of them didn’t agree to the chicane. It could have helped the sport, but I understand their position. It’s not their fault that our tires aren’t working.” (How bad is it for Formula One, especially here in the U.S.?): “It’s terrible, but there’s nothing we can do about the tires. We arrive here, and there’s something wrong (with the tires). There are rules, and right now the race is going on according to the rules.” (How embarrassing is this for F1?): “It is embarrassing, but if you had 14 cars in the wall within 20 laps with tires blown and the risk of hurting the public, then that would have been more embarrassing.” (Could a chicane have been built in that short timeframe?): “Oh yeah, definitely, that would have been very easy, but Ferrari didn’t want to, I think. With the chicane, the tire would have been safe. We were just hoping a chicane would have been put in, because then we could have raced.” (Does this mean you are onboard with the decision?): “There’s nothing I could do. It’s not in my hands. But if the tires are judged too not be safe, then it is the right decision.” (Have you ever been in a situation like this?) “No. Never.”

CHRISTIAN HORNER (Sporting director, Red Bull Racing): “Obviously, it was a very difficult decision to take. We acted on the advice of Michelin, who as you can see instructed all teams that the tires were unsafe to race here this weekend without the introduction of a chicane prior to Turn 13. Unfortunately, we were unable in the interest of safety for both our drivers, teams, and spectators to start the race today. Obviously, we’ve come here to race. We are extremely embarrassed about the situation, especially for all the guys who have paid to come here this afternoon to watch the race. I can only apologize on our behalf, and I’m sure of all the teams that we haven’t put on the show that we wanted to this afternoon.” (If chicane was put in): “I think if we could have been able to slow the cars before Turn 13, then there wouldn’t have been a problem.” (About having drivers slow cars down without chicane): “The problem is they are all racing drivers at the end of the day. How do you tell them to slow down, you know? When they are racing, they are pushing, they are defending, and they’re attacking. It would be an impossible situation to police.” (About easing any driver frustration): “David says he is a racer, and he would have taken the risks. But, you know, it is my responsibility as a team principal to act in the best interest of safety. And on the instruction from Michelin, the decision was very straightforward. We have seen several big accidents here due to tire failures. Michelin were adamant that they didn’t want the cars to run this afternoon, so we have really operated on their response.”

FELIPE MASSA (#12 Sauber Petronas): “I mean, it’s not my decision. It’s the decision from Michelin and from FIA. So I don’t have anything to say.” (Have you ever been in a situation like this?): “No, never, never.” (About not being in the race): “It’s very bad, but I feel like every Michelin driver. This is very bad for the sport. I feel also safe because I know that with these tires they maybe could have been even worse in the whole race, maybe worse even -- dangerous.” (If a chicane had been built, would you have felt comfortable racing?) “Yeah, but they need to give us at least some laps to learn the track with the new chicane.”

DAVID COULTHARD (#14 Red Bull Racing): “We have been acting under instruction on the grounds of safety from Michelin that there was no choice to go race.” (On why chicane was not built): “I can’t answer that. I believe there was a disagreement for Ferrari to accept, and that would be the case. And obviously Charlie (Whiting) made his position on behalf of the FIA quite clear that he didn’t feel that they should have to alter the track. I think this is a unique situation. I think it was one on the grounds of safety they could have taken that stance. I know it is going to be one of these scenarios now, ‘Who should have done?’ and ‘Who could have done?’ The reality is that mature adults were not able to come to a resolution that would have allowed us to put on the show that everybody wants to see in Formula One. We wanted to go racing. It is a very sad day for this sport, I would have to say. I am so, so sorry for what we’ve done, because there was a way out. There was a way to create a solution to let us go racing. Yes, it wasn’t the fault of Bridgestone that Michelin had a problem here, but we are all traveling the same circus together and we are all working together, and there has to be a compromise that allows a way of penalizing the Michelin runners and benefiting the Bridgestone runners because of the fault that Michelin had. But this extreme of not having cars on the racetrack, there are going to be a lot of people in Formula One turned away from the sport because of this.” (About how he feels): “I feel terrible. I have a sick feeling in my stomach. I am embarrassed to be a part of this. I wish we could have found a solution that had us out here on the racetrack.” (About what he would have decided): “I absolutely respect the instructions of Michelin. They are our technical tire partner. They understand how their product operates. Do I feel fear about running on this circuit with our tire? No, not at all. I am a racer. If I had fear in my body, then I wouldn’t be out on a racetrack for starts. FIA said to me on the formation lap, ‘Let’s go racing.’ I said when we pulled away from the grid, ‘If it is turned to me to make a decision, then let’s go racing.’ But we have to respect Michelin. We have to respect the other teams for all standing by with their instructions, as well. What we have to be disappointed at is that we couldn’t come to an agreement for the good of the sport. Forget whether Ferrari are getting 16 points here or not. And they may both blow up, and then you may see two Jordans getting first and second, so it’s by no means guaranteed that they will get the points. It is just terrible that we ended up with this situation.” (About how this affects the future): “This just sets a precedent that I guess we are going to see at other times in the future. It’s unfortunate. There only are 10 teams. If we can’t find a solution that is good for the sport … The crowd there is wondering what in the hell is going on. It is embarrassing.” (More on situation): “Michelin just produced a tire that wasn't capable of running on this track, and they held their hands up and acknowledged that. Then what we tried to do is find a solution and go racing. And despite all of Michelin's efforts to find a solution with the Speedway, FIA and the Bridgestone runners, the selfishness of some has been the cost of the majority. That's why the fans are showing their disgust by throwing things on the track, and I am very sorry for them.” (About Ferrari’s disagreement with nine other teams): “Ferrari's position has been very clear. They wouldn't accept the change. And I can understand their position. They've done a good job, had a good tire, and they come here and said, ‘Why should we be penalized when others have screwed up?’ But I think it is such an unusual scenario to have so many cars not able to go Grand Prix racing. If the next race only had six cars, would the same crowd turn up? No. You want 20 cars on the grid. So sometimes you put your own selfish interest to one side for the greater good. Not to just bash on Ferrari, but to not have FIA find a solution to mediate the sport in a way that could have happy people out there is very disappointing. Even if we do come back, half the crowd in the stands today won't be back. That's for sure. Terrible, terrible situations can be recovered and now having the mistake take place, it will be a question of what actions will be taken to do damage limitation.” (About process): “The team principals were all issued a statement, or instruction, from Michelin that the tires are unsafe to compete in this race and therefore they would not accept any responsibility for any team competing if there wasn't an introduction of a chicane. So the team principals, armed with our letter, could not ask their drivers to go out and race with a known fault because of all of the legal issues of the car crashes, if a car goes into the crowd. So that's why there was a move to go and find a solution from FIA to allow a safe scenario. Give Bridgestone and Ferrari all of the points because they deserve it. They've done a better job this weekend, but once they give them all of the points, let's go and put on a show. It doesn't have to be an absolute wheel-to-wheel battle because WWF survives quite well out here with an element of show business involved. But what you have here is a joke. I'm disappointed, but I respect the team's decision, and I respect Michelin's position. All I was clarifying with the team is don't take a decision on my behalf if I can be part of the process. If you want me to be part of the process, I am going racing. If it's not a decision that is influential in that, then I will respect what they have decided. It's a credit to all of the Michelin teams that they stuck together.”

Part 1

[Nawdy]

BERNIE ECCLESTONE (Chief executive officer, Formula One Management Ltd.): (What is your feeling for the fans?): “I feel sorry for them.”

TAKUMA SATO (#4 Lucky Strike BAR Honda): “I feel very bad for the people who came here to support today. Sorry.” (Did you want to race given the conditions?): “Of course, everybody wanted to race.”

PAUL STODDART (Team principal, Minardi F1 Team): “First of all, our sincere apologies go out to the race fans, both here at Indianapolis and indeed, around the world, for the farce that took place at Indianapolis this afternoon. This really was a time when Formula One needed to put sport above politics, but sadly, this did not occur. Earlier on today, nine of the 10 competing teams had agreed that, in the interests of safety, a temporary chicane needed to be placed before the final turn, and that unless that took place, the nine teams would not compete. This idea was rejected by FIA President Max Mosley, and in no uncertain terms, the teams were told that, should this occur, there would be no race. This, in my opinion, is clearly not in the interests of the sport, the American public, or Formula One fans around the world. I have complete sympathy with the Michelin teams, and can take neither satisfaction from, nor interest in, this afternoon’s race, if you can call it that. For the avoidance of doubt, Minardi only participated when it became clear that Jordan had changed its decision to compete from this morning. I sincerely hope that valuable lessons are taken away from here today before we destroy the sport we love with politics. A solution, which would have allowed the United States Grand Prix to have proceeded unaffected today existed, but was resisted by the FIA and not supported by Ferrari, who claimed it was not their problem.”

JENSON BUTTON (#3 Lucky Strike BAR Honda): “It’s disappointing that we can’t race, but we’re not going to race if it’s not safe.” (About the fans): “It’s very disappointing for them, I’m sure. They have to realize that if it’s not safe to drive, we have to be careful because we’re traveling at high speed. There’s not much we can do about it. We can’t do much. We have to think about our safety first.”

FLAVIO BRIATORE (Team principal, Mild Seven Renault F1 Team): “We said we didn't want to race with this situation like this. We wanted a chicane, and it would take less than one hour to put that in and make everybody happy. (What message to the Indianapolis fans?): “Only that I am sorry, I'm sorry for the fans, but there was no question for us to race here.” (But how can a multi-million pound sport that that travels around the world has global exposure find itself in this situation?): “Sometimes you have a problem with a car, you break the suspension, and you tell the driver come back to the garage. This was a technical problem, and we needed to sure the problem was cured, but all we asked for was a different configuration this year, that was possible to change.” (So why did that not happen?): “You need to ask the Federation.” (We have reports that some fans are throwing things onto the track): “We are sad, our mechanics are sad, the drivers are sad we want to race, we want to race. We don't care if Ferrari started up front. We wanted to race for no points.”

NORBERT HAUG (Vice president, Mercedes Benz Motorsports): “We took the decision. We offered a compromise that was not possible. We would have liked to have raced for the spectators especially, but this is not the case which said. We just followed the advice of our tire partner, Michelin, and if they had safety concerns we cannot race. We offered a compromise that was not possible. That is why we have a race with six cars right now.” (Will this hurt Daimler-Chrysler in America?): “No, everyone will understand if there are safety concerns. We cannot influence that. We have a partnership with Michelin, and I find it very brave of them to say we have some concerns and react accordingly.” (Will there be legal issues with IMS CEO Tony George?): “We cannot race if we have tire problems. That is quite obvious. It is sad. We offered a compromise, which wasn't taken. I understand the rules are the rules, but at least we tried to find a way to do it.”

TSUTOMU TOMITA (Team principal, Panasonic Toyota Racing): “First, we would like to apologize to all the race fans and sponsors watching, both here and around the world. We are sorry to have to take this decision, particularly in the light of Jarno Trulli's pole position here yesterday. But the safety of our drivers always has to come first. After a detailed explanation of the tire problems encountered this weekend, we could not legitimately send our drivers out for a race distance. Therefore, we did not race either car this afternoon. We look forward to returning to the track at the French Grand Prix in a fortnight.”

NICK HEIDFELD (#8 BMW WilliamsF1 Team): "Basically, Michelin took the decision that it was too dangerous. It is very unfortunate for all of us, especially for the spectators. I am sorry, but we didn't have a choice. This decision was made on the grounds of safety. They do not want to hurt any drivers, and they do not want to hurt any spectators. It is very bad, but at least we do not try to kill anybody. There was a problem on one of our tires. Only a small one, but we didn't know how it would be if we were to continue. There were a lot of problems on the other cars. We have seen last year how bad it can be. In the end, it was simply Michelin's decision. They are our partners, and they advised all the teams that it would not be safe to run and asked us not to do it. To be honest, I think this is a disaster for Formula One in the United States. As drivers, we would have liked to drive, but there is nothing we could have done from the driver's side.”

MARK WEBBER (#7 BMW WilliamsF1 Team): "The long and short of it is that we are not prepared to do the race from a safety point of view. We are drivers, and we want to go, but it is not safe for us. There is no gray area with this situation. It is either working or it's not. That's the problem with us. There is so much unchartered water that we don't know where the tire is. Hopefully we can come out the other side of it. We have seen bad days before, and we have come out the other side. We have to move on.”

SAM MICHAEL (Technical director, BMW WilliamsF1 Team): "We are extremely sorry to all the fans that turned up today to see a race. We are all racers, as well, but unfortunately we could not deliver today. It was too much risk to us. We had an instruction from Michelin, our tire supplier, this morning to say that the tires in the current circuit layout were not safe to race. They would not condone us racing on them. At that point the only way they would condone it would be if Turn 13 was slowed down through the use of some sort of chicane. That did not happen. So we took the grid and the formation lap for the fans so they could at least see the cars and the drivers on the grid, and after formation lap we had to come into the pits. We could not put the cars in a racing situation. Unfortunately we can't risk the drivers’ lives. It is a mistake for Michelin. We've tried everything over the last 18 hours, since last night, to try and get some sort of compromise where we could race for the fans. It did not happen, so we had to withdraw the cars after the formation lap. We are extremely sorry to all the fans that turned up here to see a Grand Prix. We are all racers. We want to race, but we could not do it today. I'm sorry.” (What would have been a realistic compromise?): “The compromise that we suggested was to put a chicane at the entry to the pit lane. It has been done before. It was done in Barcelona, in '94, with no problems at all to run with the chicane. That was the compromise we offered. We also offered, because it was a Michelin problem, and not a problem for Bridgestone, we offered that all six Bridgestone cars would take the top six grid positions and Michelin drivers would form up in their qualifying order from seventh place down. That was the offer that we made, and it was rejected.”

[Nawdy]

PATRICK FRIESACHER (#20 Minardi F1 Team): “It was quite bad because only six cars were on the grid. It's a shame for the sport, I think, and really not good for Formula One. At then end it was bad, really bad for the sport.” (We knew about the Michelin teams) early this morning because they wanted to put the chicane in the last corner, and I guess nine teams agreed to it and one team didn't agree, and it was decided. We knew the Michelin tires, they already said, that they can not do more than 10 laps.”

JARNO TRULLI (#16 Panasonic Toyota Racing): (How do you feel?): “It’s a shame for Formula One, in general. But we couldn’t avoid this situation. We all knew all Michelin teams to run and finish the race was too dangerous. I think that today Formula One and the sport as one somehow we didn’t give the show to the USA people and supporters. But that’s life. Sometimes these things can happen.” (Did you personally feel safe enough to stay out there?) “It’s not a question if to feel safe or not to make a decision. We have analyzed data, and Michelin has analyzed data. They felt we were in danger today. So it was as simple as that.” (What did you feel when you were told that you were not to race?) “I feel that the decision for us not to race is sad. But it had to happen here in Formula One as we all knew we were in danger for us as a team, as a driver, and for the spectators and was too dangerous to race. So we had to stop. It is very unfortunate in front of the USA people, but these things happen.” (If this decision was up to you what would you do?): “No you cannot race. We were in danger. It’s so clear, it’s also written in the rules, when it is not safe you cannot compete in a competition. It’s very unfortunate that it has happened here in the USA and really sorry for all fans and supporters. But we tried to avoid this situation, but unfortunately other teams regularly stand up and say, ‘No, we cannot accept anything else rather than the normal rules,’ and this is how it ended up.” (How badly do you feel for the fans who have spent thousands to come here?): “It’s really bad and hope we can recover from it and try to do something. We have done it not only for us as a team, as a driver, but also for them. For the fans, because they don’t want to see drivers crashing into the walls or taking too many risks. It’s already enough risk in Formula One, in motorsport in general, and the reason was calculated: We had a problem with the tires.” (How frustrating is it to know that you were on the pole and now do not have the chance to just get out there?): “In general as a driver, I’m frustrated not to be driving today. But we have to understand the situation, that there was a danger.” (Are you frustrated with Ferrari at all because if they would have gone along with the chicane you would be racing right now?) “No, I think we cannot claim Ferrari as the guilty. Ferrari was right where they expect the rules were clear from the race director. That’s the rules. If you cannot race, you do not race.” (Thoughts on what message is being put across here) “I think Formula One has sent the message that there more sensible priority to be safe, and today we prove that we’re sensible people. Someone has made a mistake, and we are sorry it every and all fans that we couldn’t race.” (Who took the ultimate decision on not to race?) “The team managers just took the decision with all things together. It was very clear that it was unsafe and that we couldn’t race. But I am really sorry for the USA fans because they came to support us and see our show. But it was a very important situation.” (When was the decision come down that you were not going to race?): “When we were leaving the grid, basically.” (What could have been done to keep this from happening? This morning was it just too late?): “Yes, it was just too late. Unfortunately, we tried very hard but didn’t succeed. The rules are very clear and just respected the rules.” (How big could the negative impact be as far as the American fans toward Formula One?): “As much as a Indy Car doesn’t run during a wet condition. Today we were unsafe and didn’t run.”

CHRISTIJAN ALBERS (#21 Minardi F1 Team): “Yeah, of course, it is not really good for Formula One. Also you have to be fair in life. Michelin has always had some advantages to Bridgestone. I think they were always a little bit maybe on the limit. I don’t know. I have no clue. The Michelins were not strong enough for here, and the Bridgestones were strong enough, so you have to give Bridgestone the advantage. This is the result. What shall the teams be really glad with? Even when it is not good for Formula One. But this is life.” (Any issues with Turn 13?): “No, not at all. It was no problem for us. We had a really good weekend.” (About today’s effect on future F1 races): “I think that a lot of people just learned a lot from this and from the mistakes. We have to see what’s going on later on.”

JOINT STATEMENT FROM ALL TEAMS USING MICHELIN TIRES (Lucky Strike BAR Honda, Mild Seven Renault F1 Team, BMW WilliamsF1 Team, West McLaren Mercedes, Sauber Petronas, Red Bull Racing, Panasonic Toyota Racing): “The Michelin teams deeply regret the position that they have been put in today and would like to apologize to all the spectators, TV viewers, Formula One fans and sponsors for not being able to take part in today’s USA Grand Prix. Following Ralf Schumacher’s accident on Friday morning, we were advised by Michelin that none of the tires that were available to the teams could be used unless the vehicle speed in Turn 13 was reduced. Without this, Michelin did not consider the tire to be safe to be used for the race. All the teams are confident in Michelin and trust their advice as we know they are competent and responsible and their written instruction to us not to race unless changes to the circuit were made was accepted. All final data from Michelin became available at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday morning it became clear that Michelin were not able to guarantee the safety of the drivers. Numerous discussions and meetings took place to find a safe solution to the problem. Every possibility for the race to go ahead in a safe manner was explored. The only practical solution was for a chicane to be installed prior to Turn 13 and nine of the teams were prepared to run under these conditions even forgoing championship points or by allowing non-Michelin teams to take top positions on the grid. Unfortunately, all proposals were rejected by the FIA. Safety is always the first concern of any team and the FIA. Regrettably, the teams were obliged to follow Michelin’s requirements not to race. We are totally aware that the USA is an important market for Formula One, and there is an obligation for Formula One to promote itself in a positive and professional manner. It is sad that we couldn’t showcase Formula One in the manner we would have liked today.”

Source (http://www.usgpindy.com/news/story.php?story_id=4897)

Gee Burnie E had a lot to say!! :roll:

Sorry for the long posts, but they do have a lot of info!

[Nawdy]

Sunday, June 19, 2005

INDIANAPOLIS – Results Sunday from the sixth running of the United States Grand Prix on the 2.605-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with position, driver, country, chassis-engine, and number of laps completed.


1. Michael Schumacher, Germany, Ferrari, 73

2. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Ferrari, 73

3. Tiago Monteiro, Portugal, Jordan-Toyota, 72

4. Narain Karthikeyan, India, Jordan-Toyota, 72

5. Christijan Albers, Netherlands, Minardi-Cosworth, 71

6. Patrick Friesacher, Austria, Minardi-Cosworth, 71

Jarno Trulli, Italy, Toyota, did not start

Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, McLaren-Mercedes, did not start

Jenson Button, Great Britain, BAR-Honda, did not start

Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Renault, did not start

Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault, did not start

Takuma Sato, Japan, BAR-Honda, did not start

Mark Webber, Australia, Williams-BMW, did not start

Felipe Massa, Brazil, Sauber-Petronas, did not start

Juan Pablo Montoya, Colombia, McLaren-Mercedes, did not start

Jacques Villeneuve, Canada, Sauber-Petronas, did not start

Ricardo Zonta, Brazil, Toyota, did not start

Christian Klien, Austria, Red Bull-Cosworth, did not start

Nick Heidfeld, Germany, Williams-BMW, did not start

David Coulthard, Great Britain, Red Bull-Cosworth, did not start

Race Statistics

Winner's average speed: 127.168 mph

Time of race: 1 hour, 29 minutes, 43.181 seconds.

Margin of victory: 1.522 seconds

Lead changes: Two among two drivers

Lap leaders: Schumacher 1-26, Barrichello 27-48, Schumacher, 49-73.

UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX FORMULA ONE RACE RUNNING:

Weather at 12:55 p.m.: Air temperature is 81 degrees F (27 degrees C), track temperature is 102 degrees (39 degrees C), wind speed is 13 mph (20 km/h), wind direction is from the northeast, relative humidity is 44 percent. Skies were cloudy.

Formation lap: All 20 cars away. Sixteen of 20 cars – all using Michelin tires – pull into pit lane and into garage. Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi teams – all on Bridgestone tires – are only teams to line up on grid.

Lap 1: START. #1 M. Schumacher leads into Turn 1. #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .7 of a second.

Lap 2: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 1.2 seconds. #18 Monteiro is third, 5.7 seconds behind leader.

Lap 3: Fans boo when Michelin-shod drivers are shown climbing from cars on video screen. #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 1.2 seconds. All 14 cars on Michelin tires have officially retired from the race.

GIL DE FERRAN (Sporting director, Lucky Strike BAR Honda): “We have no tires to race. Michelin has advised us not to run. It’s just unfortunate we can’t race.”

Lap 5: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 1.4 seconds. #18 Monteiro third, 8.2 seconds behind leader.

Lap 6: #2 Barrichello runs over water bottle on track in Turn 9.

Lap 8: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .7 of a second.

Lap 9: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .4 of a second.

Lap 10: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .7 of a second. #21 Albers to pits, fuel, 8.7 seconds.

Lap 11: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .7 of a second.

Lap 12: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .8 of a second.

Lap 13: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .6 of a second. #18 Monteiro third, 13.5 seconds behind leader.

Lap 15: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .4 of a second. Running order: #1 M. Schumacher, #2 Barrichello, #18 Monteiro, #19 Karthikeyan, #20 Friesacher, #21 Albers.

Lap 16: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .5 of a second.

Lap 17: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .5 of a second.

Lap 19: #20 Friesacher to pits, fuel.

Lap 20: #19 Karthikeyan in pits, fuel, 8.3 seconds.

Lap 21: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .7 of a second.

Lap 22: #18 Monteiro to pits, fuel, 8.1 seconds.

Lap 23: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .9 of a second.

Lap 24: #2 Barrichello to pits, fuel, 9.5 seconds.

Lap 25: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 22.4 seconds. M. Schumacher has not pitted.

Lap 26: #1 M. Schumacher to pits, fuel, intense examination of left rear tire, 16.8 seconds. #2 Barrichello inherits lead.

Lap 27: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 3.6 seconds.

Lap 28: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 3.4 seconds.

Lap 29: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 2.6 seconds.

Lap 30: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 2.4 seconds. #18 Monteiro third, 25.6 seconds behind leaders.

Lap 31: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 2.2 seconds.

Lap 32: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 2.1 seconds.

Lap 33: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 2.3 seconds. #18 Monteiro third, 30.7 seconds behind leader.

Lap 34: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 2.5 seconds.

Lap 36: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 2.7 seconds.

Lap 37: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 2.7 seconds. Running order at halfway: #2 Barrichello, #1 M. Schumacher, #18 Monteiro, #19 Karthikeyan, #20 Friesacher, #21 Albers.

Lap 40: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 3.0 seconds.

Lap 43: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 3.3 seconds. #18 Monteiro third, 45.8 seconds behind leaders.

Lap 44: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 3.1 seconds.

Lap 45: #20 Friesacher to pits, fuel, 21.2 seconds.

Lap 47: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 3.1 seconds. #19 Karthikeyan to pits, fuel, 8.7 seconds.

Lap 48: #2 Barrichello leads #1 M. Schumacher by 3.0 seconds. #18 Monteiro to pits, fuel, 8.2 seconds.

Lap 49: #2 Barrichello to pits, fuel, 8.0 seconds. #1 M. Schumacher inherits lead.

Lap 50: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 23.1 seconds.

Lap 51: #1 M. Schumacher to pits, fuel, 7.7 seconds.

Lap 52: #1 M. Schumacher, #2 Barrichello nearly collide entering Turn 1 as #1 M. Schumacher exits pits. #2 Barrichello off track on grass in Turn 1 after overshooting corner, returns to track in second place. #21 Albers to pits, fuel, 8.4 seconds. #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 1.8 seconds.

Lap 53: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 2.3 seconds.

Lap 54: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 1.3 seconds. #18 Monteiro third.

Lap 55: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .7 of a second.

Lap 56: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .7 of a second.

Lap 58: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .9 of a second.

Lap 59: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .5 of a second.

Lap 60: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by .4 of a second.

Lap 62: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 2.6 seconds.

Lap 63: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 2.4 seconds.

Lap 66: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 2.4 seconds. #18 Monteiro third, #19 Karthikeyan fourth, #21 Albers fifth, #20 Friesacher sixth.

Lap 67: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 2.8 seconds.

Lap 68: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 3.4 seconds.

Lap 70: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 3.9 seconds.

Lap 71: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 4.0 seconds

Lap 72: #1 M. Schumacher leads #2 Barrichello by 3.6 seconds.

Lap 73: CHECKERED. #1 Michael Schumacher wins the United States Grand Prix by 1.5 seconds over Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro teammate Rubens Barrichello. #19 Tiago Monteiro was third, one lap behind. #19 Narain Karthikeyan was fourth, one lap behind, #21 Christijan Albers was fifth, two laps behind, and #20 Patrick Friesacher was sixth, two laps behind. All six cars that started the race were running at the finish.

[LT8888]

Personally, I think Michelin made the right move. Yes they brought defective tyres, and they did everything they could to find a comprimise or a solution. In the end they chose to put safety first. Imagine what would happen if there was a fatal accident? What happened today would be peanuts compared to how much shit Michelin and F1 would be in if an accident killed a driver or spectators. IMO the FIA are the ones to blame for 1. the 1 tyre rule, which was a farce to begin with and 2. for ther unwillingness to put the sport or the fans first and be open to comprimising solutions to the problem. Shame on the FIA, Bernie and especially MAX MOSLEY who conjured up this 1 tyre rule farce! If it wasn't for this stupid rule, there would not even have been an issue as they could change tyrespecs for qual. and race.

[NickS]

I can't believe the crowd was throwing stuff at the Bridestone runners and booing them, are we to assume that they thought they should have all retired also. The race was ridiculous as it was, if everyone parked it it would have been even worse. The blame for this mess lies squarely with the FIA, Bernie E, Max Mosley and anyone that is supposed to be running the sport. They are so anal about their "rules" that they would rather see 14 cars retire before the race even started than reach a compromise.

I'm with you C4B, it will be a long time before F1 returns to the USA, the FIA as in one race managed to kill any chance F1 ever had of taking off the USA.

[VPIIV8]

Technically you cant be awarded points unless 8 cars race (in the FIA rules)
That is true, but because all Michelin shod teams did the warm-up lap, that is counted as a full grid. The Michelin cars then retired from the race allowing the 6 cars to score points.

This would have to be one of the biggest shambles in sporting history...
I can not believe the FIA could not agree on something with Michelin...
Michelin had made this point about their tyres 48 hours before the race and still nothing was done...
I know Michelin should have had the right tyre in the first place, but the FIA should have been more accepting to the fact that Michelin screwed up, and at least done something in order to keep all teams racing...and hence keep the crowds remotely happy...

And to the d@#kheads that through bottles onto the track, imaging had that hit the head of a driver along the straight at 300+kph...I understand that they are pissed off, but that is just plain stupid...

[Mickey T]

michelin made a mistake, yes, but they fessed up and, on the grounds of safety for the drivers and spectators, asked the proper authorities for help in ensuring the sport didn't suffer unduly from their mistake. even to the point of suggesting their teams not race for points.

charlie whiting insisted it was a breach of the rules to run the new tyres they brought overnight from france, then only ferrari voted against a chicane, saying essentially, you screwed up, bad luck.

except there's precedent the other way - when whiting and the FIA acted in ferrari's favour.

anybody remember brazil, interlagos, in monsoonal rain two years ago? the rules state you have to nominate one wet tyre and only bring one wet tyre. Michelin brought a full wet. bridgestone punted and brought an intermediate.

on the grounds of safety, whiting put back the start of the race, then started behind a safety car, because the conditions were unsafe for the bridgestone runners (ie, ferrari).

no competitive advantage for the michelin runners, bridgestone punted and lost, yet ferrari get the rules bent for them. on the USA GP philosophy, it should have been bad luck, manage as best you can, or don't start the race. that didn't happen and Fisichella won.

the positions of charlie whiting and max mosley have become untenable. they should be sacked forthwith.

[Phantom]

The blame for this mess lies squarely with the FIA, Bernie E, Max Mosley and anyone that is supposed to be running the sport. They are so anal about their "rules" that they would rather see 14 cars retire before the race even started than reach a compromise.

The blame starts and ends with Michelin. They've been to the track before and they knew they would have to last the race on one set. They had a tyre that was unsuitable, so why punish the B'stone runners for some one elses mistake ? Going from the below quote from M Schmachr, a chicane wasn't the solution.

"MS: Honestly I understood from talking to one of the drivers that despite turn 13, they would have had the problem anyway, with chicane or without chicane."

Full press conferance transcript:
http://f1.racing-live.com/en/headlines/news/detail/050620020419.shtml

[Mickey T]

i disagree. it starts with michelin, yes, but ends with the FIA and charlie whiting.

the indy track has been resurfaced since the F1 circus was last there and bridgestone had data given to it by firestone, its american subsidiary that supplies tyres to the IRL.

Michelin had no opportunity to get that info, because they couldn't test there.

yes, they screwed up badly. but if there's precedent there to put that aside for the sake of the sport's future (in a market it needs if it wants to credibly be a global sport), then the FIA should have acted accordingly.

it didn't. once again, it acquiesed to Ferrari's interests

[Frankster_P]

I thought in that race in brazil a few years back, the Fia wouldnt allow the teams to use full wets as michelin didnt have one, they had to all use intermediates, and much of the fiald crashed out.

Dont blame Ferrari, why should the rules be changed?
Could u see Ron badloser Dennis agreeing on somehting to help Ferrari

[Mickey T]

other way around. bridgestone didn't have a full wet, so they changed the rules on safety grounds.

and, in the brazilian instance, the other (michelin) teams weren't given a say on how the safety issue was addressed.

just as ferrari shouldn't have been given a say at Indy. just a copout by the people who should have had the balls to make a decision

[NickS]

The blame starts and ends with Michelin. They've been to the track before and they knew they would have to last the race on one set. They had a tyre that was unsuitable, so why punish the B'stone runners for some one elses mistake ?

I agree that Michelin f*#^ed up royaly, but for Whiting, Mosley & Co to not allow them some options to continue to race was just stupid. I am a big Ferrari fan but their (Whiting / Mosley etc.) bias is ruining the sport. Especially somewhere like America, they won't forgive and forget, it will be interesting to see how many tickets they sell next year ... if it even goes ahead!

I think Mickey T has the right answer ... Whiting + Mosley go bye bye :wave:

[REV-IT]

LT8888 wrote: [quote] "IMO the FIA are the ones to blame for 1. the 1 tyre rule, which was a farce to begin with and 2. for ther unwillingness to put the sport or the fans first and be open to comprimising solutions to the problem. Shame on the FIA, Bernie and especially MAX MOSLEY who conjured up this 1 tyre rule farce! If it wasn't for this stupid rule, there would not even have been an issue as they could change tyrespecs for qual. and race."

My sentiments exactly! FIA f@#ked up already when they made the "one set of tyre per race rule." How many driver's life has been compromised ever since when they have to keep going with f@#ked tyres? :bash: How stupid can you be and breath, let alone to manage a multi billion dollar business??

[Brendan]

What gets me is that the man in the sport most obsessed with money and who probably makes the most out of the sport(i.e: Bernie), is that piss poor a businessman that he let this race go ahead as it did, effectively ruining the sports future in one of the biggest motorsport markets in the world.

Commercially, how dumb can you get?

[mavss]

At the start of the telecast, while everyone was trying to figure out what was going on, it showed Eccelstone chatting with 3 team bosses and the commentators thought Bernie was saying something along the lines of "I don't care".

Guess he doesn't place much emphasis on craching the US market, although wouldn't it be a real shame if Canada boycotted F1 in sympathy (albeit highly unlikely).

Bugger it. Melbourne should boycott as well just to stick it right up him !!!

[LT8888]

Another option would've been to postpone the race and slot it back in a 3 week break, and make all bought tickets still valid for that. This would have gone down a lot better for F1 with the fans than running a farce race with 6 cars. A similar thing happened back in the 80s when the track surface at Spa was found to be totally unsuitable for racing, so was postponed to later in the season.

[Devil CV8]

That is true, but because all Michelin shod teams did the warm-up lap, that is counted as a full grid. The Michelin cars then retired from the race allowing the 6 cars to score points.
...
that action is nearly as bad as the tyre farce. The better solution would have been the michelin runners refusing to grid up which would have made the race a non event, then in a spirit of "giving the fans something" run the race with a chicane but with no points allocated from the farce.

[mavss]

The parade lap may have been necessary to give their sponsors some form of exposure.

Besides, the affected teams didn't seem care about points otherwise they wouldn't have paraded at all.

Also, postponing the race for a couple of weeks wouldn't fit in the F1 schedule as they are due to be in France in 2 weeks and besides, the transport costs would be astronomical which is why they do the Canada & USA rounds back-to-back.

[Kirium]

A big bust up between the GPWC teams and FIA/FOM/Ferrari has been along time coming.. Bernie's got his head in the clouds and Max has his head up his ar$e...

The new proposed rules will act as another impetus to GPWC to start up the seperate series. GPWC will never sign up for such a technologically backwards formula.. It'll be 7 or 8 teams sign up to Formula1 (Ferrari, RedBull Racing and probably Jordan as Bernie will wave more cash under their noses and them renegging on the stand to have a chicane installed at Turn13 show they have no loyalty) and the rest to GPWC. The FIA still think everyone will join Ferrari eventually in signing another Concorde agreement, but I'd much rather go see 8 teams racing in a formula that is the technological and talent pinacle of motor sport than watch a slower, dumbed-down GP2 or Formula Renault look-alike formula with Ferrari and 1 other team...


I really wish Paul Stoddart didn't send his cars out there, even tho he felt he was forced to by Jordan, that would have given more strength to the GPWC crowd, and it would have alienated Ferrari even more... The more alienated Ferrari become by the fans, the sooner they realise that despite all their heritage, they aren't the be-all and end-all of Formula1, and the sooner they'll start doing things in the interest of the sport, and not their own selfish interests. The 30 day testing limit agreement has been a classic example of their pig-headedness. The unfortunate part is that most Ferrari fans outside Italy wouldn't have a clue of the damage Ferrari is doing because they only come out of the woodwork for their local race, then forget about F1 for the rest of the season.

Sigh...

http://www.grandprix.com/jpeg/misc/maxwanted1-lg.jpg

[Kirium]

UNITED STATES GP - SUNDAY - RACE REPORT from grandprix.com
Thumbs down for Formula 1

Fans, United States GP 2005© The Cahier Archive

The thumbs of the fans in the grandstands at Indianapolis were all pointing downwards at the end of a ridiculous United States Grand Prix. Fingers in the paddock will be pointing in other directions as the parties involved try to throw mud at one another about who is responsible for this debacle.

The problems were not insurmountable and a little compromise and understanding would have saved the day for the race fans of America and the TV fans around the world. But for whatever reason that chance was wasted by inflexible views and a total disregard for the fans. The fact that the 20 cars took part in the parade lap meant that F1 did manage to fulfil its contractual obligations to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - but it does not mean that the sport fulfilled its moral obligation to the crowd. With an average ticket price of $100 and a crowd of 130,000 crowd (up around 10,000 on last year) this amounted to little more than a $13m heist. It left Indianapolis owner Tony George with no real choice but the agree to give the fans their money back or at least offer them free tickets for 2006. Except that there is no reason why there will be a race in the United States in 2006. And no reason why any other promoter in the United States will go near Formula 1 in the future. What was needed on Sunday in Indianapolis was good governance and what we saw was completely the opposite. Michelin made a mistake. They admitted as much and offered solutions to the problem which they had unwittingly created. The FIA and Ferrari could have compromised, could have accepted a change of tyres or a makeshift chicane. Of course, one can argue that the rules are clear and that they should be followed. But that is not the point. The right thing to do would have been to have accepted a solution which did not leave the sport damaged as it now is. For whatever reasons they chose to sacrifice the sport rather than adopt a practical solution and muddle through to minimise the damage.

Perhaps they did not think that the Michelin runners would do what they said that they would do and withdraw from the race, but the point was made on several occasions in the hours leading up to the Grand Prix and it was clear that when one looked at the problem of legal liabilities in the United States of America, the teams really had no choice but to park the cars. Michelin would not - could not - guarantee the safety of the tyres. The FIA said that Michelin runners would have to stop every 10 laps or drive at half speed through the troublesome Turn 13. Ferrari and the FIA both refused to have a chicane. If it was all a big poker game, the FIA and Ferrari bet the farm and they lost.

Everyone had elements in their arguments which had merit but as the clock ticked on towards the start time, no-one had the interests of the fans foremost in their minds.

And that is the charge that lies on the doormat in Maranello and at 8 Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Even the great deal maker Bernie Ecclestone was impotent to solve this one and he must now go back to the shareholders in his company and explain himself. The FIA President Max Mosley has charmed the FIA delegates for more than 10 years but if no-one asks questions after this, the federation's credibility will disappear as quickly as did the fans at Indy. We need explanations as to why this was allowed to happen.

But there is nothing new under the sun. In 1926 the Grand Prix de l'ACF was run at Miramas for three cars. The sports governing body at the time, the AIACR, decreed that there would be another new formula, brought about by the alarming advances in speed made by the manufacturers but the new rule drove the manufacturers away. The organisers were forced to run the race and there were three cars. Two failed and Jules Goux was the only classified finisher.

It was the nadir of Grand Prix racing in the 1920s.

Indianapolis 2005 is the nadir of modern F1.

"My general feeling is what Bill France Jr of NASCAR would have done in the same situation," said Mike Mulhern, a reporter from the Winston Salem Journal. "He has been in this type of crisis three or four times in the past when drivers have been injured when tyres blew. He has always had a back-up plan. The race has always gone ahead with a full field. If Bill France was here today the 14 drivers who parked their cars would be history.

"This could kill Formula 1 in America. It has been on the ropes for a long time. It has a credibility problem. This was stupid, really stupid. There is no excuse for not having a Plan B, for not putting on a show and running the race. It is arrogance and stupidity that has caused this. It shows no respect for the people watching in the grandstands and on TV. It is slap in the face for the US public."

It shouldn't have come to this... :(

[Frankster_P]

Why should Ferrari agree to a testing limit though?
They have their own test track, and every year the Fia changes the rules to hobble them more.

When the Pom teams dominated in the late 80's early 90's and it was as boring as hell the Fia didnt change the rules every year.

Jus the usual brit and aussie media bias.

[Kirium]

To limit costs... It's got nothing to do with performance...

[SCOTTR8]

just of topic alittle didnt indy cars pull the pin at texas motor speedway afew years ago on safety grounds as some drivers were graying/blacking out on the oval. this was on reace day from memory after morning warm up.

[Kirium]

There's been plenty of occasions across many different formulae when races haven't gone ahead or have only had a number of runners... Like the race report above says: In 1926 the Grand Prix de l'ACF was run at Miramas for three cars, with only 1 classified finisher. Sam Michael of WilliamsBMW also makes mention of the Spanish GP at Barcelona in '94 where a chicane was installed prior to the race. I'm trying to find more info about that but it's possible there's been a precedent before where a chicane has been installed... If so, then the blame for the fiasco on the weekend rests quite a bit more heavily on the FIA on failing to act to create a chicane as has been done in the past...

[The Nurse]

Yeh I remember the chicane at Barcelona in 94, that was after Senna and Ratzenberger had their accidents at Imola, and Wendlinger had his at Monaco which left him in a coma for a number of weeks. In that scenario the chicane was installed prior to the race weekend begining as there hadn't been enough time to make all the revisions to slow the cars down as it had only been four and two weeks since Imola and Monaco. The part of the track they installed it was to slow the cars down before the ultra fast chicane towards the back of the circuit, which certainly wasn't there in '95

[sloone]

just of topic alittle didnt indy cars pull the pin at texas motor speedway afew years ago on safety grounds as some drivers were graying/blacking out on the oval. this was on reace day from memory after morning warm up.
Yes they did.
Also is anyone watching the NHRA on ESPN? They are asking about Bernies apparent comments regarding "Danica"? in the states and that he said that women should be dressed in white the same as household goods! They are also having a go at him about putting on a race. He seems to be copping from the ESPN commentators. Bernie WHO!!!

[my_Berlina]

I'm intregued that most people are picking on FIA for not coming around
to Michelin's demanded solution, despite the FIA siting issues (drivers have
not practiced on the alternative track config, cars are not setup for it ...)

Yet people are not picking on Michelin for ignoring the FIA's offered alternatives.
Use different tyres but cop a penalty. I think that the FIA should have indicated what
the penalty would be rather than just (less than round exclusion but enough to hurt).
However, given that the teams were supposedly happy to forgo points (the equivelant
of round exclusion, why didn't they go for this).
The FIA also sugested changing tyres regularly, there may have been an issue with enough
tyres being available.
Finally the FIA said that the Michelin runners just take the hard corner slower - on one hand
these are racing drivers, on the other hand they are professional drivers.

I find it hard to believe there were also not some technical remidies available. eg. my
understanding is the problem is to do with the load on the left rear being too much for
the structure of the tyre (also sugesting that the re-surfacing is not related, but I am
far from an authority). Therefore reducing the load by reducing the down-force (adjust
the rear wings) seems an obvious remedy - this will ofcause penalise the Michelin cars, but
given the mistake they arguably deserve that.

It strikes me that Michelin demanded the chicane and would accept nothing else. I initially
took that as Michelin just being French and arrogant. I then asked myself why that, especially
considering the supposed offers to forgo points..., then it dawned on me. The big difference
between putting in a chichane to slow all the cars and all the other options that penalise
only the Michelin runners is that without the chichane, the TV coverage could show all
6 Bridgestone cars (including Minardi) beating all the Michelin cars. They were happy to
wear the points loss - that is easily made up over the year, however the TV publicity of
every Bridgestone car beating every Michelin car was something too great to suffer. Their
focus on the 'safety' is no different to many politians justifying
disgraceful policy with the 'terrorism' word.

[NickS]

F1 charges teams for pulling out of GP
SMH - June 21, 2005 - 10:39PM


Formula One's governing body has charged the seven teams using Michelin tires with damaging the sport's image by pulling out of the United States Grand Prix for safety reasons.

The FIA, which has summoned the seven teams to a June 29 hearing in Paris, charged each team with a breach of Article 151c of the International Sporting Code.

The FIA released copies on Tuesday of letters it sent to Renault, McLaren-Mercedes, Toyota, Williams-BMW, BAR-Honda, Sauber and Red Bull, outlining the charges they face.

The charges include: failing to ensure they had a suitable set of tires, wrongfully refusing to allow their cars to start the race, wrongfully refusing to allow their cars to race subject to a speed restriction, and combining with other teams "to make a demonstration damaging to the image of Formula One by pulling into the pits immediately before the start of the race."

The teams were also accused of failing to notify stewards of their intention not to race.
AdvertisementAdvertisement

Possible sanctions include fines, docked points or even an order to pay compensation.

Michelin provides seven of the 10 F1 teams with tires. Only six cars - using Bridgestone tires - started the race in Indianapolis on Sunday after 14 drivers left the track following the warmup lap. Ferrari's Michael Schumacher won, climbing from his car to a chorus of boos.

The same seven teams were among the nine teams that boycotted meetings called by FIA president Max Mosley in January and April to discuss regulations for the 2008 season. It was unclear whether they'll attend the June 29 meeting.

Two Michelin tires failed during Friday's practices - one causing a wreck that prevented Toyota's Ralf Schumacher from competing - prompting Michelin to rule its tires were unsafe for the Indianapolis track.

The future of F1 in the United States remains in doubt.

Lawyers for a Colorado fan filed a suit in federal court seeking reimbursement for client Larry Bowers and other ticketholders who they claim were defrauded.

[O5BRKY]

Seems as though the FIA ,have more concerns in making $$$$$,rather than drivers safety. It's all getting to be a joke as far as I'm concern.
Does FIA,stand for Ferrari International Association? :lol:

[Kirium]

I'm intregued that most people are picking on FIA for not coming around
to Michelin's demanded solution, despite the FIA siting issues (drivers have
not practiced on the alternative track config, cars are not setup for it ...)

Yet people are not picking on Michelin for ignoring the FIA's offered alternatives.
Use different tyres but cop a penalty. I think that the FIA should have indicated what
the penalty would be rather than just (less than round exclusion but enough to hurt).
However, given that the teams were supposedly happy to forgo points (the equivelant
of round exclusion, why didn't they go for this).
The FIA also sugested changing tyres regularly, there may have been an issue with enough
tyres being available.
Finally the FIA said that the Michelin runners just take the hard corner slower - on one hand
these are racing drivers, on the other hand they are professional drivers.

I find it hard to believe there were also not some technical remidies available. eg. my
understanding is the problem is to do with the load on the left rear being too much for
the structure of the tyre (also sugesting that the re-surfacing is not related, but I am
far from an authority). Therefore reducing the load by reducing the down-force (adjust
the rear wings) seems an obvious remedy - this will ofcause penalise the Michelin cars, but
given the mistake they arguably deserve that.

It strikes me that Michelin demanded the chicane and would accept nothing else. I initially
took that as Michelin just being French and arrogant. I then asked myself why that, especially
considering the supposed offers to forgo points..., then it dawned on me. The big difference
between putting in a chichane to slow all the cars and all the other options that penalise
only the Michelin runners is that without the chichane, the TV coverage could show all
6 Bridgestone cars (including Minardi) beating all the Michelin cars. They were happy to
wear the points loss - that is easily made up over the year, however the TV publicity of
every Bridgestone car beating every Michelin car was something too great to suffer. Their
focus on the 'safety' is no different to many politians justifying
disgraceful policy with the 'terrorism' word.

Just to clarify a couple of points,. There have been precedents in the past where a chicane had been installed in the interests of safety, this was a barcelona in 94 following a number of accidents in previous races including the deaths of Senna and Ratzenberger at Imola. There has never been a precedent to "have cars drive slower around a single turn" and have the FIA monitor it. further more, depending on the speedlimit the FIA set for this corner, it could result in bridgestone teams closing on michelin teams at a rediculous rate on a very demanding corner creating a situation that is possibly less safe. the FIA were also very vague regarding their own rules (which they claim cannot be negotiated) by allowing tyres to be changed, when there would be no outwardly visible problems with the tyres. changing tyres that have no outwardly visible safety problems is clearly against the rules, but their blurring of the rules when it suits them and hard-line defence when it also suits them breeds uncertianty among the teams and further distrust of the FIA

And just to correct your last point, it wasn't solely Michelin teams who proposed the chicane idea. the proposal for the chicane (which i remind you has a precedent 11 years ago) was supported by 9 teams, including 2 bridgestone teams. everyone except Ferrari agreed to the chicane idea. had Ferrari agreed, under the terms of the Concorde agreement, changes could have been made. once again, they took the selfish, couldn't care less about the rest of you road, and left the good of the sport badly beaten again.

No-one argues that Michelin screwed up by not bringing a tyre that could handle it, but even with their poor tyre choice, an exciting race could have still happened by the proposals which were made by 9 out of 10 teams which also have historical precedent. michelin are partly to blame, but the fia and ferrari are more to blame for rejecting reasonable, and tried and tested proposals and preventing all teams from safely going Grand Prix racing

:cheers:

[Kirium]

Paul Stoddart tells the insiders point of view.


"Much has been said about the farce that occurred on Sunday, June 19, in Indianapolis, and I feel that in the interests of transparency, it would be worthwhile for someone who was actually present, and participated in the discussions leading up to the start of the Grand Prix, to provide a truthful account of what took place, both for the 100,000-plus fans who were present, and for the hundreds of millions of people watching on television around the world.

While this is a genuine attempt to provide a factual timeline of the relevant events that took place, should any minor detail or sequence be disputed, it will not, in my opinion, affect in any way this account of events that led up to arguably the most damaging spectacle in the recent history of Formula One.

Background

For those who have not followed the recent political developments in Formula One, it is fair to say that, for over a year now, the majority of teams have felt at odds with the actions of the FIA and its President, Max Mosley, concerning the regulations, and the way in which those regulations have been introduced, or are proposed to be introduced. Not a weekend has gone by where some, or all, of the teams are not discussing or disputing these regulations. This is so much the case that it is common knowledge the manufacturers have proposed their own series commencing January 1, 2008, and this is supported by at least two of the independent teams. The general perception is that, in many instances, these issues have become personal, and it is my opinion that was a serious contributory factor to the failure to find a solution that would have allowed all 20 cars to compete in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.

The Facts

Friday, June 17
I noticed that Ricardo Zonta’s Toyota had stopped, but in all honesty, did not pay any attention to the reasons why; however, I actually witnessed Ralf Schumacher’s accident, both on the monitors, and more significantly, I could see what took place from my position on the pit wall. This necessitated a red flag, and in the numerous replays on the monitors, it looked very much like the cause of the accident was a punctured rear tyre.

Throughout the afternoon, numerous people in the paddock suggested it was a tyre failure and commented that it was similar to the serious accident which befell Ralf Schumacher during the 2004 US Grand Prix. Later that evening was the first time I was aware of a potential problem with the Michelin tyres at this event. In all honesty, I didn’t pay a great deal of attention, as our team is on Bridgestone tyres.

Saturday, June 18
On arriving at the circuit, the word throughout the paddock was that there was a potential problem with the rear tyres supplied to all Michelin teams for this event, and it became evident as the first and second sessions were run that most of the affected teams were being very conservative with the amount of on-track running they were doing. In addition, Toyota announced that it had substituted Ricardo Zonta for Ralf Schumacher, who would take no further part in the event. Speculation was rife in the paddock that some Michelin teams might not take part in qualifying. Also, during the practice session, I was informed there would be a Team Principals’ meeting with Bernie Ecclestone at 1430 hrs after qualifying, which I incorrectly assumed would centre around the Michelin issue.

Qualifying took place, and indeed, all 20 cars qualified for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

At approximately 1420 hrs, I attended Bernie’s office, and with representatives present from all other teams, including Ferrari, the meeting commenced. Surprisingly, the main topic of conversation was the number of events and calendar for 2006, followed by a suggestion that a meeting be convened at the next Grand Prix to discuss two issues only – firstly, a proposal for a single-tyre supplier in Formula One, and secondly, whether or not it would be desirable to qualify with or without a race fuel load in 2006. Only at the very end of the meeting did the Michelin tyre issue arise, and in fairness, it was not discussed in any great detail. I personally found this strange, but as I have stated, it did not affect Minardi directly, and therefore I had no reason to pursue the matter.

Throughout Saturday evening, there was considerable speculation in the paddock that the tyre issue was much more serious than at first thought, and people were talking about a fresh shipment of tyres being flown overnight from France, and what penalty the Michelin teams would take should those tyres be used. By the time I left the paddock, people were taking bets on Minardi and Jordan scoring points!

Later that evening, I checked with our Sporting Director on what developments had occurred, and was told that the issue was indeed very serious, and the possibility existed that the Michelin teams would not take part in the race.

Sunday, June 19
I arrived at the circuit at 0815 hrs, only to find the paddock was buzzing with stories suggesting the Michelin teams would be unable to take part in the Grand Prix. I was then handed a copy of correspondence between Michelin, the FIA, and the Michelin teams that revealed the true extent of the problem. By now, journalists were asking if Minardi would agree to a variation of the regulations to allow the Michelin teams to compete, and what penalties I felt would be appropriate.

A planned Minardi press briefing took place at 0930 hrs, and as it was ending, I was summoned to an urgent meeting, along with Jordan, with Bernie Ecclestone, the two most senior Michelin representatives present at the circuit, IMS President Tony George, Team Principals, and technical representatives from the Michelin teams. At this meeting, Michelin, to its credit, admitted that the tyres available were unable to complete a race distance around the Indianapolis circuit without a change to the track configuration, so as to reduce the speed coming out of the last turn onto the banking. Much background information was provided as to the enormous efforts that Michelin, with support from its teams, had undertaken in the preceding 48 hours to try and resolve the problem, but it was clear that all those efforts had failed to produce a suitable solution that wouldn’t involve support from the non-Michelin teams, and ultimately, the FIA.

What was requested of the Bridgestone teams was to allow a chicane to be constructed at Turn 13, which would then allow Michelin to advise their teams that, in their opinion, the tyres would be able to complete the race distance. It was made very clear that this was the only viable option available, as previous suggestions from the FIA, such as speed-limiting the Michelin cars through Turn 13, could, and probably would, give rise to a monumental accident. This idea, as well as one concerning the possibility of pit stops every 10 laps, were dismissed, and discussion returned to the only sensible solution – a chicane. During this discussion, a technical representative with specific knowledge of the Indianapolis circuit, together with representatives from IMS, were tasked with preparing the design of a chicane, and Bernie Ecclestone agreed to speak with the one Team Principal not present, Mr Todt, and to inform the FIA President, Max Mosley, who was not present at Indianapolis, of the planned solution to allow the successful running of the US Grand Prix. With only a few hours now remaining to the start of the race, we agreed to reconvene as soon as Bernie had responses from Messrs Todt and Mosley.

[Kirium]

Continued...

At approximately 1055 hrs, Bernie informed us that not only would Mr Todt not agree, stating that it was not a Ferrari problem, but an FIA and a Michelin problem, but also Mr Mosley had stated that if any attempts were made to alter the circuit, he would cancel the Grand Prix forthwith. These words had a familiar tone to me, as they were similar to those I had heard around midnight on the Friday preceding the 2005 Australian Grand Prix, when I was told by all the senior FIA representatives present that the Australian Grand Prix would be cancelled forthwith if I did not withdraw pending legal action between Minardi and the FIA. Once again, Mr Mosley was not present at that Grand Prix! It is fair to say at this point that the vast majority of people present in the room both felt and stated that Mr Mosley had completely overstepped the mark, had no idea whatsoever of the gravity of the situation, and furthermore, cared even less about the US Grand Prix, its organisers, the fans, and indeed, the hundreds of millions of television viewers around the world who were going to be affected by his intransigence.

By this time, the nine teams had discussed running a non- championship race, or a race in which the Michelin teams could not score points, and even a race whereby only the Michelin teams used the new chicane, and indeed, every other possible option that would allow 20 cars to participate and put on a show, thereby not causing the enormous damage to Formula One that all those present knew would otherwise occur.

By now, most present felt the only option was to install the chicane and race, if necessary, without Ferrari, but with 18 cars, in what would undoubtedly be a non-championship race. We discussed with Bernie the effects of the FIA withdrawing its staff, and agreed among ourselves a Race Director, a Safety Car driver, and other essential positions, and all agreed that, under the circumstances, what was of paramount importance was that the race must go ahead. All further agreed that since we would most likely be denied FIA facilities, such as scales and post-race scrutineering, every competitor would instruct his team and drivers to conduct themselves in the spirit of providing an entertaining race for the good of Formula One.

At this point, we called for all 20 drivers, and indeed, all 20 arrived, at which point we informed them of our plan. While I cannot testify that each and every driver agreed with what we were proposing, what I can say with certainty is that no driver disagreed, and indeed, members of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association discussed overseeing the construction of a suitable chicane. Jean Todt was the only significant team individual not present, and the Ferrari drivers stated this decision was up to Mr Todt.

I feel it is important to stress that, at this stage, and mindful of the total impossibility – call it force majeure if you wish – of 14 cars being able to compete in the race, the nine teams represented agreed they would not take part in the race unless a solution was found in the interests of Formula One as a global sport, as it was clear to all present that the sport, and not the politics, had to prevail if we were to avoid an impending disaster.

After a short break, we reconvened without the drivers. When I arrived in Bernie’s office, Flavio Briatore was on the telephone to Mr Mosley, and it was quite clear from the body language of the others gathered in the room that Mr Mosley was having none of our suggestions. At the conclusion of the telephone call, it was obvious that many of those in the room had lost all faith in Mr Mosley and his ability to perform his function as President of the FIA in respect of Formula One matters.

I’m sure this sentence will be treated with contempt by Mr Mosley, but what must be realised is that there are various reasons that other Team Principals, and the most senior people in Formula One, will not say publicly what they openly feel privately about Mr Mosley, his politics and his governance of the sport. There is a great temptation to go into those reasons in detail, but that is for another day. Suffice to say, those gathered at Indianapolis felt Mr Mosley, and to a lesser degree, the lack of co-operation from Mr Todt, were about to be responsible for the greatest FIAsco in Formula One’s recent history.

Discussions then took place concerning the other telephone calls with Mr Mosley from, among others, Bernie Ecclestone, Ron Dennis and Tony George, and it was clearly revealed to what extent Mr Mosley was prepared to go in order to achieve his aims. To my total disgust, it was stated that Mosley had informed Mr Martin, the FIA’s most senior representative in the USA, that if any kind of non- championship race was run, or any alteration made to the circuit, the US Grand Prix, and indeed, all FIA-regulated motorsport in the US, would be under threat – again, exactly the same tactic that was used in threatening the Australian Grand Prix and Australian motorsport in March of this year.

By now, it was evident Mosley had bullied the US Grand Prix promoter into submission, Bernie Ecclestone was powerless to intervene, and all efforts of the Team Principals, with the exception of Jean Todt, had failed to save the 2005 US Grand Prix.

At this point, the pit lane had opened and a hasty discussion took place concerning whether or not the Michelin teams would go to the grid. A radio had been delivered to me by team personnel at this stage, and I was able to know which cars were going to the grid. It is interesting to note that the Jordan Team Principal was not present at this time, and indeed, it was the Jordans that first proceeded to the grid, followed by the Ferraris. After discussion with Bernie Ecclestone, it was agreed the Michelin teams would go to the grid, but were absolutely prevented from participating in the race because of the tyre situation.

We then proceeded to the grid, at which point I asked Jordan’s Colin Kolles if he intended to stand by the other teams or participate in the race. In no uncertain terms, I was told Jordan would be racing. I was also approached by a Bridgestone representative, who informed me that Bridgestone wished us to race. This left me with one of the most difficult decisions I have had to take during my time in F1, as I did not want to race, but given my current relationship with Mr Mosley, felt certain heavy sanctions would follow if I did not. I made it clear to Bernie Ecclestone, and several Team Principals, that if the Jordans either went off or retired, I would withdraw the Minardi cars from the race.

It is important for people to realise that Minardi, the seven Michelin teams, Bernie Ecclestone, and the promoters did not agree with Mr Mosley’s tactics. For the reasons previously outlined, it may take some considerable time, if ever, for this to be admitted, but there is no question in my mind that the farce that occurred on Sunday, June 19, 2005 at Indianapolis was the responsibility of the FIA President, Max Mosley, and compounded by the lack of support from Jean Todt.

For the avoidance of doubt, in my opinion, Michelin was responsible enough to admit that the problem was of their creation. When one considers that even the replacement, Barcelona-specification tyres that were shipped to IMS, when tested, apparently exhibited the same characteristics as those that originally failed, this clearly is a case of force majeure, as I do not for a moment believe that Michelin intentionally brought tyres to the event that were unsuitable for competition.

Far more importantly, however, Mosley refused to accept any of the solutions offered, and that refusal was, I believe, politically motivated. Therefore, I feel he failed in his duty, and that is why I have called for his resignation.

Much discussion and debate will undoubtedly take place over the coming weeks and months, but I believe this is a truthful and honest account of the facts, and not the fiction, surrounding the responsibility for this FIAsco. People can now make up their own minds!"

Press Release
MinardiF1

[Kirium]

Even looking past Pauls frosty relationship with Max, I believe this is a factual account of the events that took place on the weekend. It further reinforces my opinion of where ultimate blame should be laid for the FIAsco.

[mavss]

Whoa. Paul's coming out with both barrels blazing.

Weird though that one of the reason he raced was because of retalliation from Max Mosley, yet here he is demanding his resignation.

I hope this doesn't drag on for too long, but I do hope it finds a satisfactory resolution both for F1 and the fans that attended Indy.

[QIKMIK]

Just received this from www.markwebber.com....


Joint Statement issued from Paris, Wednesday June 29
30 June 2005 | 3:10am

Joint Statement Issued by the BMW WilliamsF1 Team & B.A.R Honda,
Renault F1 Team, Sauber Petronas, Team McLaren Mercedes, Toyota
Motorsport GmbH

Paris, Wednesday 29 June 2005.

The six Formula One Michelin teams identified above are very disappointed by the decision of the World Motor Sport Council to find them guilty of two of the five charges brought against them by the FIA in relation to the 2005 U.S.Grand Prix at Indianapolis.

1) In relation to the finding that they failed to ensure that they were in possession of suitable tyres, the Teams point out that they reasonably relied on Michelin, an approved FIA tyre supplier and a highly reputable manufacturer of tyres worldwide, to provide suitable tyres for that race. As Michelin have already acknowledged, they were responsible for the supply of unsuitable tyres for the Indianapolis circuit. The FIA’s decision accepts that there were “ strong mitigating circumstances” for the Teams. In truth, those circumstances provided a complete answer to the charge, given that the Teams cannot be held responsible for what occurred.

2) In relation to the finding that the Teams wrongfully refused to allow their cars to start the race having regard to their right to use the pit lane on each lap, the Teams respond as follows. The charges suggested only one means by which the Teams could safely have raced (the use of a speed restriction). On that charge, the Teams were found not guilty. The Teams cannot understand how they can be found guilty by reference to another proposed solution, which was not part of the charges brought against them, which was not suggested by the FIA at Indianapolis, which was considered unsafe and which, in any event, would not have achieved a satisfactory race for the fans.

The Teams therefore will be lodging an appeal against each of these findings.

The Teams explained to the World Motor Sport Council that, in the light of the clear and written advice from Michelin that it was unsafe to race at Indianapolis on the tyres supplied by that company, the Teams had no choice but to decline to race. Any other decision would have been irresponsible. Nineteen of the current Formula One drivers have expressed their agreement with the decision of the Teams.

The Teams much regret that the American public were unable to enjoy a race involving all ten Formula One teams, and would like to express their thanks to the many fans who have communicated their support for the stance taken by the Teams and by Michelin on grounds of safety.

The Teams are pleased that Michelin have agreed to compensate fans who attended the race.

The Teams very much look forward to the next Grand Prix on Sunday.Mick

[pagey]

:hmmm: support of 19 drivers eh?

Which one of these kids is doin his own thing... which one of these kids aint playing along?

[seracing]

mybe brigstone didn't have the balls to ? there tyre's. At the end of the day its a saftey concern ,just like at work you could do the job but it's high risk ,so what do you do you asess the risk(tyre's) and come up with a way to lower that risk ( chicane) . ferrari could of said yes but out of all the f1 cars which one sticks out as a car we can relate to (name wise) ferrari so ferrari sold 3 more cars in the good old usa this week because they raced and the rest didn't . blame fia and ferrari. Thats my say , go the supercars!

[Kirium]

:hmmm: support of 19 drivers eh?

Which one of these kids is doin his own thing... which one of these kids aint playing along?

The letter was signed by Christijan Albers, Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, David Coulthard, Pedro de la Rosa, Giancarlo Fisichella, Patrick Friesacher, Nick Heidfeld, Christian Klien, Felipe Massa, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kimi Raikkonen, Takuma Sato, Ralf Schumacher, Jarno Trulli, Jacques Villeneuve, Mark Webber, Alexander Wurz and Ricardo Zonta.