Have you ever seen or heard anything so farcical as the F1?I don't know who is the bigger comedian..Bernie Ecclestone, or Michael Schumacher. Imagine there's only 2 of you likely to win, nobody else anywahere near you, and a whole circuit to play on ...and you drive straight at your team mate!!
Can't stop watching in case I miss the punchline!

Hilarious Helen if it wasn`t so pityfull....

Surely a compromise could have been reached, they knew about this since Friday.

None cares about the paying public all 200,000 of them plus the millions at home watching tv.
To be honest doesn`t bother me as personally i never watch it ! but was cooking the tea and it was on.

Mad thing was that on the grounds of driver safety michelin tyre cars pulled in and then the marshals safety was put at even greater risk by having to retrieve bottles and cans thrown onto the track by disgusted spectators !!!!!!

Unbelievable !!!!!

"Formula One should be deeply ashamed of itself" said the commentator.

that about sums it up i reckon.

Business has overtaken pleasure in most sports now, I guess but this was an absolute fiasco.

Perhaps they need the Manx Motorcycle Club to run it next year ??????

I'm pretty sure that mis-matched couple Mr and Mrs ** were more concerned about their obscene wealth than any driver's safety or any other consideration. Once met the little man, who thought he would offer me protection from someone with Tourette's! Wasn't impressed , on a number of levels. Thank goodness our sport is insignificant enough not to attract that kind of interest. SPORT? What sport?

What an embarassment!

According to the team manager of McLaren they were notified by Michelin at 5:00am this morning that the tires were unsafe for the track conditions at Indianapolis. The problem was with weakening between the sidewall and the belt. The extreme G forces on the banked 13th ( an omen?) corner caused the belt to separate causing tire failure at extremely high speed on the banking. This happened to 2 Michelin shod cars on Friday resulting in one injured driver.

To be fair to Michelin - the surface at Indianapolis had been repaved over the winter. The result was so flawed that it had to be completely re-ground at least twice because of an unacceptable level of tire problems at other race meetings.

Michelin recommended installing a chicane to slow cars entering that corner. The Speedway management agreed to do that. The teams agreed to the change, but the FIA said that if the circuit was changed they would withdraw GP status and no points would be awarded.

It was reported that the Michelin teams agreed to race without championship points. It was also rumoured that they agreed to give all the tire manufacturer's points to Bridgestone. The FIA wouldn't budge. There is an unconfirmed rumour that the Ferrari team refused to race if there were no points at stake.

Sir Jackie Stewart was on the scene and said that "compromises should be made in times of crisis. There should be a chicane and everyone should race".

Once Michelin declared in writing that their tires were unsafe the teams had no choice. Think of the alternatives - drivers, marshalls or spectators could have been injured or worse.

Of the 20 cars scheduled to race 14 had Michelin tires. So only 6 cars started, the lowest starting number since the Italian GP at Imola many years ago which also had only 6 starting cars. On the bright side, it was the only the second time in F1 history that every car that started actually finished the race.

Apparently there was a lot of politics involved, as usual with the FIA , which is moving towards having a single tire manufacturer.

It will probably be some time before we know what really went on behind the scenes.

Unfortunately, at the end of the day, no one looks good, especially those idiotic fans who threw debris, beer cans, water balloons onto the track and towards the cars, endangering everyone. The final embarassment was when the winners were booed.

The fans were so hostile that no one from the Speedway or FIA was willing to go to the podium to present the trophies. They were presented by someone from a sports management company and the drivers were quickly whisked away.

The mechanics of the Red Bull team said that they were afraid to attend their own party in downtown Indianapolis tonight. The whole day was an embarassment!

You're right, as usual, Helen!

Schumacher should have been black flagged for that move. But, then there would have been only 5 cars left. Do you suppose that is why he got away with it????

Thank you Harry for explaining the fiasco. I slept right through it like most of us down under usually do after we watch the first corner. Bit of a joke these days, isn't it.

Barby on.......mackerel cookin fine 'n' crispy; beers cold, burgindy warm..............
then a guy stops, shouts over my seaside driftwood laidback smoke, that "F1 was a F1asco, only six cars started, tyres were to blame".

Seems Indy is tough on tires. GOSH, big surrrrprize folks..........wheeee, news is infinite, roll the presses.

Seems even Telly-free zones like mine cannot escape farce.

Bryan RIX should run next "season's" F1.

By the way F1 stands for 'No1 F***K-up'

I agree with Harvey about the Ferrari drivers' poor sportsmanship. But, they were probably still simmering because one had forced his teammate off the track - unbelievable!

The FIA is standing on 'principle' that they can't make changes to accomodate one team or group of teams. But, I seem to remember a compromise during the Brazilian GP a couple of years ago.

Bridgestone didn't bring full rain tires only intermediate ones. Michelin had full rain tires.

For some reason the FIA took pity on Ferrari ( who were running Bridgestones) and ordered the first few laps to be run behind the safety car so that the track would dry off. So much for principle and neutrality!

For today's racing Michelin had air shipped new tires to all the teams. But the FIA's tire rules wouldn't permit a tire change.

That does suggest a couple of possible compromises - ALL competitors could have been permitted a tire change. Or competitors who elected to make a tire change could have started at the back of the grid.

You would think that a room full of adults could have worked something out, wouldn't you?

Yes.

But,

No adults exist in F1.

Sponsors will not allow adults, they know stuff.

Great stuff, this media circus.

Thanks, Jan. I don't know if I explained anything or made it more confusing LOL!!
But, tires and suspensions are something of an interest of mine and I do have a soft spot for McLaren.

All of this is a reminder of why some of our top two-wheel champions were frustrated and unhappy racing F1 cars. The whole atmosphere is completely different from bike racing.

I wonder if Rossi will make the switch? and if he does, will he enjoy it?

Rossi will be a wild card in that morass.

Sid - I liked your recent suggestion about a fuel economy race as part of the TT. Have you seen this article about a hydrogen powered bike? Very interesting.

<A HREF="http://www.usatoday.com/money/2005-06-14-hydro-cycle-usat_x.htm?csp=15">http://www.usatoday.com/money/2005-06-14-hydro-cycle-usat_x.htm?csp=15</A>

This might seem like a harebrained idea to some, but, I would love to see the smaller engine classes back on the Island.
Cheers, Harry

Sure thing HARRY!

Petrol-head as I am, real-world energy status dictates that sooner or later (sooner in fact....) we must ALL embrace fuel economy in racing; and everywhere else.

Fuels used must also change along with strictures of availability and price.

Hydrogen-cell powered machines are very good, but efficiency is limited, once real -world figures are accounted for: they cannot exceed 60% efficiency right now. It may improve of course.

An electric-powered TT race would be another headline-grabbing event, and no way would it be boring.........silence notwithstanding, we all have Walkmans to provide sound tracks, do we not?

I have to tell you now my friends, that riding/driving a silent vehicle brings many new thrills to one's mind and body.

I have done this on two and four wheels this year.

Both modes exceeded even the thrill of silent airborne flight around a volcano peak in a glider.

It is coming soon.

Let the TT lead the way, and stage a truly modern Tourist Trophy race, based on energy efficiency.

Don - I agree with you about Indianapolis. I would like to see the USGP return to Watkins Glen, a real roadracing circuit in the manner of Nurburgring. Most US tracks are NASCAR speedways or contrived street circuits. The USGP has been held in 9 locations more than any other GP. Obviously something isn't working.
Here's a very nostalgic list of USGP winners and venues up to 2000.

Circuit Year Winner Chassis-Engine

Sebring 1959 Bruce McLaren, Cooper-Climax

Riverside 1960 Stirling Moss, Lotus-Climax

Watkins Glen 1961 Innes Ireland, Lotus-Climax
Watkins Glen 1962 Jim Clark, Lotus-Climax
Watkins Glen 1963 Graham Hill, BRM
Watkins Glen 1964 Graham Hill, BRM
Watkins Glen 1965 Graham Hill, BRM
Watkins Glen 1966 Jim Clark, Lotus-BRM
Watkins Glen 1967 Jim Clark, Lotus-Ford Cosworth
Watkins Glen 1968 Jackie Stewart, Matra-Cosworth
Watkins Glen 1969 Jochen Rindt, Lotus-Cosworth
Watkins Glen 1970 Emerson Fittipaldi, Lotus-Cosworth
Watkins Glen 1971 Francois Cevert, Tyrrell-Cosworth
Watkins Glen 1972 Jackie Stewart, Tyrrell-Cosworth
Watkins Glen 1973 Ronnie Peterson, Lotus-Cosworth
Watkins Glen 1974 Carlos Reutemann, Brabham-Cosworth
Watkins Glen 1975 Niki Lauda, Ferrari

Long Beach 1976 Clay Regazzoni, Ferrari

Watkins Glen 1976 James Hunt, McLaren-Cosworth

Long Beach 1977 Mario Andretti, Lotus-Cosworth

Watkins Glen 1977 James Hunt, McLaren-Cosworth

Long Beach 1978 Carlos Reutemann, Ferrari

Watkins Glen 1978 Carlos Reutemann, Ferrari

Long Beach 1979 Gilles Villeneuve, Ferrari

Watkins Glen 1979 Gilles Villeneuve, Ferrari

Long Beach 1980 Nelson Piquet, Brabham-Cosworth

Watkins Glen 1980 Alan Jones, Williams-Cosworth

Long Beach 1981 Alan Jones, Williams-Cosworth

Las Vegas 1981 Alan Jones, Williams-Ford

Long Beach 1982 Niki Lauda, McLaren-Cosworth

Detroit 1982 John Watson, McLaren-Ford

Las Vegas 1982 Michele Alboreto, Tyrrell-Ford

Long Beach 1983 John Watson, McLaren-Cosworth

Detroit 1983 Michele Alboreto, Tyrrell-Ford
Detroit 1984 Nelson Piquet, Brabham-BMW

Dallas 1984 Keke Rosberg, Williams-Honda

Detroit 1985 Keke Rosberg, Williams, Honda
Detroit 1986 Ayrton Senna, Lotus-Renault
Detroit 1987 Ayrton Senna, Lotus-Honda
Detroit 1988 Ayrton Senna, McLaren-Honda

Phoenix 1989 Alain Prost, McLaren Honda
Phoenix 1990 Ayrton Senna, McLaren-Honda
Phoenix 1991 Ayrton Senna, McLaren-Honda

Indianapolis 2000 Michael Schumacher, Ferrari

The lack of noise is a problem if you have ever been nearly run over by an electric milk cart in the UK.
As kids we used to attach a piece of cardboard to the front fork of our bikes with a clothes peg,
this provided the sound as it contacted the spokes and improved our speed no end.
I notice that in the last couple of years in Japan the popularity of electric assist bikes has increased
markedly. They are really only to help on hills but it seems to be the start of something.
Now I wonder how many Hydrogen filling stations there are in America?
All jokes aside, it would not harm the TT if a one-lap celebrity race for alternative powered bikes was to be held
during the festival. The solar powered class may have trouble getting around unless they turned the streetlights on!

There are several hydrogen stations in California and Nevada. More are planned.

The idea of alternative powered bikes in the TT is an intruiging one. I wonder if our friend, Sid, was suggesting that actual fuel- as in petrol - consumption be a factor? You could limit bikes to a fixed amount of petrol for the race. That might produce some interesting results. Bring back those superb 50 cc bikes !