Brickyard masterpiece
INDIANAPOLIS – Cheers, not jeers, greeted Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher’s fifth United States Grand Prix win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday.
Last year, Schumacher of Germany won the U.S. Grand Prix, when just six cars started the race over concerns about the safety of Michelin rubber on the tires. Throughout, the crowd booed and afterward hurled rubbish on the track.
On Sunday, the Formula One faithful screamed, but in delight, as Schumacher, who started from the pole, pumped his fists and sprayed champagne at runner-up and teammate Felipe Massa of Brazil and third-place Giancarlo Fisichella of Italy, who races for Renault.
Schumacher’s victory – he becomes the first driver in the history of the speedway to win five races at the Brickyard – and the manner in which the crowd, estimated at more than 100,000, reacted may well have saved the race at Indy.
Speedway CEO Tony George says he and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone will make a decision on the future of the Grand Prix over the coming weeks. But, the positive response of those fans at the track and Schumacher’s in particular, may have George already penciling in another seven years of F1 at Indianapolis.
Massa jumped Schumacher at the start of Sunday’s race, leading the field into Turn 1 and for the first 29 of 73 laps before making a pit stop on Lap 30. Schumacher, who had come in for tires and gas a lap earlier, exited pit lane just ahead of Massa and behind Spaniard Fernando Alonso in the Renault.
When Alonso pitted on Lap 31, Schumacher reclaimed the lead, which he held comfortably for the remainder of the race, beating Massa by 7.9 seconds.
“I want to thank the whole team who did a marvelous job,” said Schumacher, a seven-time world champion. “We have made up six points, which are important for the championship, and we want to keep moving forward this way, fighting, pushing for the maximum and trying to win every time.”
Schumacher won’t dismiss winning an eighth title.
“Knowing Fernando finished fifth is a big step toward the championship,” said Schumacher, who won the U.S. Grand Prix in 2000, the inaugural year of the race at Indianapolis, 2003, 2004 and 2005 before Sunday’s victory.
Schumacher, who is 19 points behind championship leader Alonso, has now won three races this year.
Massa, fifth in points, was delighted with his performance, his best finish in F1.
“First and second is a fantastic day for us and an important day in my career,” Massa said.
Alonso, who had won four consecutive races prior to Sunday, ended up fifth, trailing fourth-place finisher Jarno Trulli (Toyota) to the checkered flag by just over five seconds.
Schumacher moves ahead of A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears, who each won four Indy 500s, and Jeff Gordon, who has won the Brickyard 400 NASCAR race four times.