FORMULA One tore itself apart in full view of the world last night as the US Grand Prix turned into a farce of epic proportions. Twenty cars set off on the parade lap for a race watched by 120,000 spectators at the huge Indianapolis Motor Speedway and almost 400 million on television around the globe, including an expected prime-time audience of more than six million on ITV1. But 14 cars then peeled off into the pitlane and parked up in a protest over tyre safety.
The ludicrous sight of two lonely Ferraris followed by two Jordans and two Minardis supposedly racing each other, with Fernando Alonso, the world championship leader, and Kimi Räikkönen, his main rival, sitting in the garage, brought shame on a sport that claims to be world-class.
The bemused crowd, not told what was happening at any point, reacted with boos and thumbs-down signs, many heading for the exits or to try to get their money back. One furious spectator hurled a drinks bottle on to the track and hundreds gathered around the paddock gates to jeer drivers such as Jenson Button. An hour after the “race” ended there were scuffles between fans and circuit officials, while team members and mechanics were advised not to wear uniforms as they left and state troopers were deployed to keep the peace.
The drivers were mortified that they were leaving a country where the damage to the sport’s credibility is so great that it may never be repaired. David Coulthard, whose Red Bull team were among the first to withdraw, said: “This is tragic for Formula One. I can’t find the words to describe the damage this has caused. It calls into question the future of this race.” Gil de Ferran, the sporting director of Button’s BAR Honda team, was devastated on his first return to the track where he won the Indy 500 in front of many of the same fans. “It is the worst day of my life,” he said. “My heart is bleeding.”
Apart from the spectators wanting their money back, sponsors will be lining up to claim millions in compensation from the teams that did not run, while Bernie Ecclestone, the sport’s ringmaster, could also be liable to pay huge compensation. Ecclestone was livid, patrolling the grid before the start to berate team owners over their hardline stance, but they stuck to their plan to drive the parade lap before coming to the pits.
“I am furious with the stupidity,” Ecclestone said. “Whatever happened, there should have been a compromise. I tried a million things and thought if I got them on the grid we were halfway there, but the teams had other ideas. We were just starting to build a great image in the USA on television and with the fans, and that just went out of the window.”
Many will agree that the sport had an obligation to spectators and viewers, no matter the cause of the backroom squabbles. Instead they were treated to a public exhibition of the reality of modern Formula One as a sport riven by infighting and ruled by men who can no longer prevent anarchy.
The row started on Friday, when Ralf Schumacher’s Toyota spun ferociously at 180mph into the perimeter wall around the final turn. An investigation showed that his Michelin tyres were to blame, sparking fears that the French company’s rubber was not up to the demands of a steeply-banked corner that Formula One cars drive through flat out, accelerating to 200mph.
Michelin initially flew out a new batch of tyres from France, but teams were told that they could not use them without incurring a penalty. That resulted in 24 hours of intense negotiations, which carried on until 90 minutes before the start.
The demand of the Michelin teams was simple: install a chicane to slow cars before the turn or they would not race. The FIA, the sport’s governing body, refused to bend the rules and so the cars did not race.
No one was willing to say it last night, but Formula One’s future in the US is shaky to say the least because the American public has been treated to more farce in six races here than Broadway could serve up in a generation. At the inaugural race, the grid had to be moved back because the drivers did not want to start by running over the legendary yard of bricks, one of the most famous sights in world motor racing. Two years later, Michael Schumacher clumsily attempted to engineer a dead heat with Rubens Barrichello, his Ferrari team-mate. Now this, perhaps the most shameful day in the history of Formula One.
For the record, Schumacher won the race yesterday with Barrichello second and Tiago Monteiro third for Jordan. It was the most hollow of hollow victories.
RESULT FROM INDIANAPOLIS
1, M Schumacher (Ger, Ferrari) 1hr 29min 43.181sec; 2, R Barrichello (Br, Ferrari) 1:29:44.703; 3, T Monteiro (Por, Jordan Toyota) at 1 lap; 4, N Karthikeyan (India, Jordan Toyota) 1 lap; 5, C Albers (Neth, Minardi Cosworth) 2 laps; 6, P Freisacher (Austria, Minardi Cosworth) 2 laps.
DID NOT START: J Trulli (It, Toyota), K Räikkönen (Fin, McLaren Mercedes), J Button (GB, BAR Honda), G Fisichella (It, Renault), F Alonso (Sp, Renault), T Sato (Japan, BAR Honda), M Webber (Aus, Williams-BMW), F Massa (Br, Sauber Petronas), J P Montoya (Col, McLaren Mercedes), J Villeneuve (Can, Sauber Petronas), R Zonta (Br, Toyota), C Klien (Austria, Red Bull), N Heidfeld (Ger, Williams-BMW), D Coulthard (GB, Red Bull).
CHAMPIONSHIP POSITIONS
Drivers: 1, Alonso 59pts; 2, Räikkönen 37; 3, M Schumacher 34; 4, Barrichello 29; 5, Trulli 27; 6, Heidfeld 25; 7, Webber 22; 8 R Schumacher (Ger, Toyota) 20; 9, Fisichella 17; 10, Coulthard 17; 11, Montoya 16; 12, Massa 7; 13, Monteiro 6; 14, A Wurz (Austria, McLaren Mercedes) 6; 15, Karthikeyan 5; 16, Villeneuve 5; 17, P de la Rosa (Sp, McLaren Mercedes) 4; 18, Albers 4; 19, Klien 4; 20, Freisacher 3; 21, V Liuzzi (It, Red Bull Racing) 1.
Constructors: 1, Renault 76pts; 2, McLaren Mercedes 63; 3, Ferrari 63; 4, Toyota 47; 5, Williams-BMW 47; 6, Red Bull Racing 22; 7, Sauber Petronas 12; 8, Jordan Toyota 11; 9, Minardi Petronas 7.
