Only Six Cars Start U.S. Grand Prix

[Shurikane]

ONLY SIX CARS START U.S. GRAND PRIX
WebPosted Sun, 19 Jun 2005 14:35:28 EDT
CBC Sports

Only six cars lined up on the starting grid for the United States Grand Prix after every other team decided not to participate due to safety concerns of their Michelin tires.

Michelin, the world's largest tiremaker, advised teams on Saturday that it could not guarantee the safety of its product after a sudden failure to Ralf Schumacher's car during Friday's practice sessions.

When the sport's governing body refused to install an extra chicane – a device used to slow cars down – on the final turn of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, every team that uses Michelin tires refused to enter the race.

"This is going to leave a long-lasting bitter taste in people's mouths," said British driver David Coulthard. "Quite frankly, as a driver, I'm embarrassed to be involved in this situation.

"The fact is that mature adults were not able to put on a show for everybody. It's a very sad day for racing."

Boos rang out from the stands at the Brickyard track as the Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi cars, the ones that use Bridgestone tires, roared past.

Many fans threw debris on the field in disgust.

In an effort to save the race, Michelin bosses met with Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone in a lengthy, closed-door meeting Sunday morning.

It was an apparently an emotional meeting, with many heated words exchanged.

Michelin officials sent a letter to FIA officials late Saturday night, saying it could not guarantee that its tires are safe – especially during a steep final turn at the course.

They asked to change the tires – a violation of F-1 rules. Teams are forced to race on the same set of tires they used to qualify.

The FIA responded with a sharply-worded response, asking the company how it could put the teams and the race in such a position.

On Sunday, Michelin said its cars – which make up 14 of 20 cars in the race – could not use the original tires.

"We confirmed that with the tires on which we have qualified we are not able to sufficiently guarantee the total safety of the drivers," Michelin officials wrote Sunday. "As a result, we reached the conclusion that we will not compete with these tires in the current configuration of the circuit."

The FIA fired back with a curt letter, refusing to budge on the issue: "Your teams have a choice of running more slowly in turns 12/13, running a tire not used in qualifying (which would attract a penalty) or repeatedly changing a tire (subject to valid safety reasons)," FIA race director Charlie Whiting wrote.

"It is for them to decide. We have nothing to add."

[RivaOni]

michelin acted very responsivley if you ask me, the speed these cars go you cant afford anything to be below standard its just too dangerous, Ralf Schumacher also had a accident due to tyre failure on thatexact corner, and same goes for his team-mate jarno trulli (although he was able to rescue his car).

the FIa have just become a big big joke in the past few years, changing qualifying methods and rules every year, not giving the smaller teams like Jordan, Minardi, Red Bull and Sauber much of a chance. And Ferrari don't help, they more or less govern the sport as the FIA are too scared that they will go off and start their own championship (hence Michael Schumacher being able to get away with numerous accounts of rule breaking)

[Silver Adept]

Well, if they found a defect in the tires there, then it's a perfectly responsible act to inform all the people of it, rather than wait for some blowouts and wrecks on the race course. The governing body, faced with such a charge, should have been more willing to compromise, since it was a large part of the field that had problems.

A lack of compormising there was not a good solution, and so now they take the penalty for it - perhaps the already small sport will dwindle even farther down.

[RivaOni]

thats just it, its only small in america, its huge elsewhere, and growing. most of the worlds greatest drivers were F1 drivers (Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell who also raced for Newman Haas in Indy Car a few season afterhe wont the championship for Williams). Just the FIA have become more bothered about the money rather than the sport itself and are therefore killing it

[Silver Adept]

I suspected as much, being in a U.S. market. They'll watch cars run in circles, but not on courses. Either way, the Association did not behave properly in that situation. Safety risks should be considered paramount.

[BWS-1]

All that sounds like an ''excuse'' to avoid the race. I mean I know if their is a risk they need to be informed but, how many Grand-Prix did everyone make to this day? How many accidents related to ''deficient tires'' happen to this day this season? Is that a reason that EVERYONE using their tires decided NOT to race because O DEAR! They'd just found out that their is, say, a 0.6% chance of getting a flat after 100 laps of racing ... darn it they don't even keep their tires for that long in a race ... or do they? Hmm, been a while since I last watched a Grand-Prix. Seriously, I'm not as annoyed as I might sound, I'm mostly amused ^^;

[RivaOni]

rules now state a single set of tyres have to last the weekend unless punctured. engines also have to last 2 weekends. the point was michelin discovered their tyres were unsafe and made attempts to make the race safer for those using their tyres but the governing body blocked it, fair enough, it would mean an advantage in favour of michelin because bridgestone brought the right tyres with them. and the fia offered to help regulate the teams using micheling tyres speed so they could still take part in the race but would be alot safer.

what it all boils down to, is both parties not coming to an agreement and now the 7 teams who pulled out face having some sort of ban put on them (possibly 2 races, which means the next 2 races will bring another 20 points to michael schumacher and probably 36 to ferrari)