Memorable F1 moments: the controversial 2005 US GP. Only 6 cars at the start, Bridgestone’s war with Michelin, unique entries

It was one of the worst races in Formula One history. Only six cars started the US Grand Prix at the Indianapolis circuit due to major problems with the tyre supplier. What were the details of the situation at the time and who did enter the race after all?

The 2005 U.S. Grand Prix was the ninth race of the season and one of the most controversial in Formula One. Why?

The accident between Ralf Schumacher and Ricardo Zonta in free practice, due to a Michelin tyre failure, gave it all away. The latter admitted before the race that their tyre design was not capable of lasting the required number of laps.

It was this manufacturer that supplied tyres not only to Toyota, but in fact to most of the starting field. BAR to Honda, Renault, Williams, McLaren, Sauber and Red Bull. Only Ferrari, Minardi and Jordan were sourcing tyres from Bridgestone.

The consequences of the tyre supplier war

Following the debacle of tyre failures and their inability to withstand the pressure on the demanding Indianapolis circuit, the French manufacturer turned to the FIA, track organisers and rival Bridgestone to find a compromise, with negotiations going on until the morning of the race.

Michelin subsequently presented various solutions to all parties involved in the negotiations – placing a chicane on the entrance to turn 13, allowing Michelin drivers to leave the race but not score points, or that only drivers with Michelin tyres would use the alternative track layout.

However, the tyre manufacturer logically failed with any proposal, with all seven team bosses eventually agreeing that the best course of action was to withdraw from the race. In Saturday’s qualifying, Jarno Trulli (Toyota) took pole position ahead of Kimi Räikkönen in the McLaren.

All drivers in the top four used Michelin tyres. The best driver on Bridgestone tyres was fifth-placed Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari.

All 20 cars went into the opening lap. At the end of the session, however, fourteen of them headed back to the pits, with Kimi Räikkönen very angry at the time. The Finnish driver threw down the gloves, walked away in a huff and called the whole thing a shambles.

Very bad publicity for F1 indeed, especially in the US. So the tyre supplier war culminated in Michelin announcing its demise and leaving the queen of motorsport in early 2006.

2005 US Grand Prix

So, to the overwhelming boos and dissatisfaction of the fans, only six cars lined up at the start of the US Grand Prix, in the following order. Michael Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello (both Ferrari), Tiago Monteiro (Jordan), Christijan Albers (Minardi), Narain Karthikeyan (Jordan) and Patrick Friesacher (Minardi).

Neither Jordan nor Minardi were the ones who could possibly threaten the Italian stable and the reigning champions. And so the leading duo built up such a lead after just ten laps that they were able to pit without fear of being attacked from the back.

The fact that virtually nothing happened on the track was not surprising given the teams’ strengths. And it was also evident in the stands when the crowd of 100,000 basically dispersed. For a while later in the race, it looked like a dramatic battle for first place, but Schumacher pushed his teammate to the grass and then just drove away.

There was only one on-track overtake during the entire race, with Albers taking fourth place from Karthikeyan. With that, and a duel between the Ferrari drivers, pretty much all the racing was over.

Schumacher took first place, with Barrichello finishing second. Third place eventually went to Monteiro, who became the first Portuguese driver to stand on the podium. Fourth place went to Karthikeyan, fifth to Albers and sixth to Friesacher.

Unique entries

As we wrote above, Monteiro made history as the Portuguese driver to stand on the podium at the 2005 US Grand Prix. And it was his best finish in F1, also his first and last podium.

It was also the first and last time the trio of Karthikeyan, Albers and Friesacher finished in the points, just as it was the last time the Minardi team was in the points. For Jordan, it was again the last result that guaranteed the podium for this stable.

And the big attraction is that it was Schumacher’s only win of the season. Ferrari also scored its only double of the season in the 2005 US Grand Prix.

F1, Marc Priestley – Mechanic, Unknown Kimi Räikkönen, Planet F1