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[Tony Marlin]

Only 3 teams might be racing because of safety fears with michelin tyres, going to be even more boring than normal...

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=33184

US GP SET FOR TEAM BOYCOTT
Last Updated: Sunday, 19, June, 2005, 18:36
Click to enlarge

Indianapolis is in a state of confusion with half an hour remaining before the start of the United States Grand Prix.

The ‘Gang of Nine’ teams – all bar Ferrari – have agreed that they will not go to the grid unless a chicane is constructed on the approach to the critical turn 13.

“It appears to be a little unclear as to whether we go racing or not,” David Coulthard told ITV’s Louise Goodman.

“The Michelin position is that we can’t race without a chicane.”

The FIA has refused to build a chicane, but Minardi’s Paul Stoddart suggested that whether a chicane is installed is actually down to the circuit.

“It’s not up to the FIA to provide a chicane,” said Stoddart.

The teams are preparing as normal, but the Michelin teams will pull out of the race immediately if a chicane is not installed.

Ferrari did not participate in the teams’ meeting and the team is trying to stay out of the controversy.

“Ferrari is just preparing for the race,” said spokesman Luca Colajanni.

“That’s it. Nothing more.”

[Tav]

I am watching it...there are 6 cars on the track. Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi....this is so weird! They ALL did the green flag lap then everyone <except those 6> pulled into the pits...the crowed were booing like mad.

[Wishbone G]

They were chucking stuff onto the track. Seeing an F1 car exlode a bottle is pretty amusing

[Tav]

Someone threw a full beer can...it pierced then started spraying every where...saying that it is probably the most interesting thing to happen in F1 for a while...its becoming more of a politcal show these days.

[NARC]

Monteiro was hilarious at the end - celebrating like patrizio billio on his own on the podium in front of a jeering crowd. Half expected a spanner to arc towards his face to be quite honest...

[Wishbone G]

Its not exactly a great way to get your first podium finish, eh?

Probably his last anyway...

[NARC]

The obscurity of Portuguese karting awaits...

[daveofficer]

Originally Posted by Tav

Someone threw a full beer can...it pierced then started spraying every where...saying that it is probably the most interesting thing to happen in F1 for a while...its becoming more of a politcal show these days.

it's becoming more interesting than when ferrari were owning everyone and schumacher won all the time.

throwing stuff in front of f1 cars is a pretty moronic way to protest about it if you ask me too. they refused to race cause it wasn't safe so throwing things at the ones who carried on racing was just absolutely stupid.

i reckon all the teams should've boycotted for the sake of the people who'd gone to see the race rather than racing a ghost track. adding a chicane would've levelled the playing field and meant everyone could enjoy a race rather than crap. ferrari refusing to participate in the discussions is a rather childish and ignorant thing for a team to do, it's basically hiding in the corner and hoping no one notices so they can sneak on and win a race when they've been drastically underperforming this season. there's a lot we don't know and obviously adding a makeshift chicane isn't easy, but surely something could've been done to get that race going.

[NARC]

What bemuses me is that they couldn't have somehow got another shipment of tires to Indianapolis. It's not as if we are living in the steam age.

[daveofficer]

the teams aren't allowed to change their tyres. if they had allowed another shipment then the michelin teams *may* have gained an advantage by being allowed to change tyres once between qualifying and the race.