Formula One News — June 2005

The FIA has ordered seven teams to appear before the World Council next week on various charges relating to what happened at Indianapolis on Sunday. There are, it seems, dangers in this course of action which could trigger law suits in the United States.

The last few days have seen considerable argument being thrown around about what was right and what was wrong in Indianapolis. It is worth considering a couple of precedents which will no doubt feature in the discussions in the next week.

BMW and Sauber are to make an announcement today in Munich. It is safe to assume that the announcement will at the least be confirmation of the plan for the Swiss team to run with the BMW engines next year and at the most will be an announcement that the team is to be acquired by BMW.

We hear that the FIA has ordered Michelin to supply it with full details of all of its tyre failures in recent times and that the federation has instructed the French tyre maker that the information will be put in front of an independent technical expert to decide whether or not Michelin's F1 tyres are dangerous.

The FIA has issued the following statement.

The Indianapolis Star has reported today that a Colorado resident has 'filed a class action lawsuit against the FIA, Formula One Group, Formula One Administration, Michelin and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway following Sunday's United States Grand Prix.

All seven Formula One teams that did not take part in Sunday's U.S. Grand Prix will begin an intense three day test session in Jerez, Spain tomorrow.

The FIA has filed charges against the seven teams using Michelin tires that did not take part in Sunday's United States Grand Prix fiasco.

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 FIA World Motor Sport Council has called representatives of the seven Michelin teams to appear before them at the next meeting, which will be held in Paris on Wednesday, June 29.

It would be nice if Formula 1 had some form as ombudsman - an independent body which could assess who is reponsible when things go wrong. But that is a dream. There are civil courts which decide such matters and there is trial by media.

Cristiano da Matta was back in his winning ways in the United States of America on Sunday was he took victory in the GI Joe's Grand Prix of Portland in Oregon. The PKV Racing driver, dumped less than a year ago by the Toyota F1 team, took the win from 10th position on the grid.

The events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday could drag Formula 1 into legal action with the Americans.

We have been talking to the American press corps at Indianapolis about what they think about what happened today.

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.

After the United States Grand Prix we went out into the crowd and asked the people we met what they thought about the events of the day. We found people from all over the United States, many of them having travelled long distances to be at Indianapolis.

United States GP - Race Notes

Minardi raced at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway but it is clear that team boss Paul Stoddart was not impressed by what was happening. The team scored points but there was no rejoicing in the Minardi pit.

United States GP - Sunday Photos

United States GP - Sunday Press Conference

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 1 fans and sponsors for not being able to take part in today's USA Grand Prix.

United States GP - Race incidents

United States GP - Sunday Team Quotes

United States GP - Race Results