The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 69

THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR WWW.INDYSTAR.COM Sports ST THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2003 R5 U.S. GRAND PRIX TP mm USGP shows many sides of F-l iw i i i HHl Ummm BiSM BUM MUM LfQLfQ 4 1 inir Lmi LA mmeamr mr ua II Race has featured dominance, fuel, strategy, controversial finish in just 3 years. By Jeff Rabjohns jeff.rabjohnsiindystar.com The previous three United States Grand Prix races have provided a first-hand look at the domination and, last year, the disconcerting nature of Formula One. The sport's greatest driver, Michael Schumacher, won the inau-, gural USGP in 2000 by more than 12 seconds. He was on his way to the third of his five drivers' cham-, pionships.

i1 In 2001, Mika Hakkinen over-; came a starting front row of Michael and Ralf Schumacher to win, utilizing pit strategy to get the lead, an approach becoming very familiar to NASCAR fans. The controversial race came last year. Michael Schumacher led from start to finish, aside from pit stops. But near the finish line, he slowed, allowing Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello to cross the line 0.011 seconds ahead of him. Earlier in the season, Ferrari vhad issued orders during a race Jot Barrichello give up his lead to Schumacher to ensure the four-time champion a fifth title.

By the time Formula One reached the United States, Schumacher was assured of his record- Schumacher said after the race. "I just felt Rubens deserved to win this race. He has made sacrifices for me at least twice this year." Schumacher went on to win the season title with 144 points while Barrichello was second with 77. It was the second 1-2 Ferrari finish in Indy, the other coming in 2000. In 2001, Hakkinen was dropped to fourth for the start after race officials flagged him for a pit lane violation.

Undeterred, Hakkinen badgered the leaders early before pitting on the 46th of 73 laps. When Barrichello made his second pit stop three laps later, Hakkinen inherited the lead. Barrichello mounted a challenge to the leader, but his engine blew and he was out of the race after 71 laps, allowing Hakkinen to put his McLaren-Mercedes in the winner's circle. Michael Schumacher finished second. In the inaugural race, Michael Schumacher showed how a driver can dominate the entire weekend, and Ferrari turned the race into its own show.

Schumacher won the pole and proceeded to win the race by 12.118 seconds over Barrichello. No one else was within 17 seconds of the eventual series champion. It was the third of four consecutive victories for Schumacher to finish the season. Call Star reporter Jeff Rabjohns at 1-317-444-6644. Damn Cummings Associated Press Third race: Michael Schumacher's Ferrari leads the field at the start of last year's United States Grand Prix, setting fifth championship.

A driver allowing someone to pass, even a teammate, seemed out of place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Schumacher and Barrichello both claimed the ending wasn't scripted. "We tried to cross the line together but failed by a tiny bit, and, in fact, we did not know who had won until we got out of the cars," 2003 F-l SEASON RECAP Several drivers contend for title i irT m. tl I 'jwtfj llilVIILtlt CIIEVY Australian GP, March 9 David Coulthard was the last of four leaders in an eventful season opener. Coulthard gave McLaren-Mercedes the first of back-to-back victories when he inherited the lead after Juan Pablo Mon- -toya spun out.

Michael Schu- macher and Kimi Raikkonen also led. Schumacher was black-flagged and had to make an extra jjit stop to get rid of loose body- Iwork; he finished fourth. A Ferrari not in the top three for the first time since 1999. Malaysian GP, March 23 Kimi Raikkonen avoided early troubles that plagued several drivers and went on to the first F-l victory of his career. Raikko-' nen took the lead on lap 14 when Fernando Alonso pitted.

Michael Schumacher damaged his front wing in an early spin with Jarno Jrulli. Jacques Villeneuve stalled on the formation lap, and Gian-; carlo Fisichella stalled at the 'start. Rubens Barrichello finished second and Alonso was third. "Brazilian GP, April 6 Kimi Raikkonen won the rainy race, but Giancarlo Fisichella was declared the winner five days later after a review by FIA. The results were adjusted after a timing miscalculation was discovered Mer the race was stopped on Mhe 55th of 71 laps.

The change in She winner was the first ever for fen F-l event without a driver be-Jlng disqualified or receiving a Stime penalty. Raikkonen was lsted second, ahead of Fernando SAIonso, whose crash into debris out the red flag. There were several caution periods and six cars spun out on the same turn; only 10 of 20 drivers fin-Lished the race. The first six laps were run under caution, or "behind the safety car." Pick up the Big Auto Book and enter to win Hubler Chevrolet's sixteen-foot 2003 Chevy Tahoe. The Big Auto Book is, well, a big book of autos (and trucks) for sale in central Indiana, published by cars.com and The Indianapolis Star and available each week at 500 area locations including Omalia's, Blockbuster and Osco.

Grab your copy for: Big photos Big descriptions Big selection Big SUV, maybe Available FREE at over 500 locations in central Indiana. in the constructors' championship. Austrian GP, May 18 Michael Schumacher recovered from a pit fire for his third consecutive victory. The fire caused a 20-second stop on his first pit, but he rallied and wasn't challenged over the final 10 laps. Rain began on lap 12 and Juan Pablo Montoya closed the gap on Schumacher.

When the rain ceased seven laps later, Schumacher was able to keep Montoya at bay. Kimi Raikkonen held onto second despite several late charges from Rubens Barrichello. The race didn't start until the third formation lap because of problems with Cristiano da Matta's Toyota and Heinz-Harald Frentzen's Sauber-Petronas. Monaco GP, June 1 Juan Pablo Montoya won for the first time this season and second in his career. He took the lead from Ralf Schumacher on the first pit stop when Schumacher went from first to eighth.

Montoya led Kimi Raikkonen by four seconds midway through the race. Raikkonen challenged late but couldn't close the gap and finished second. Michael Schumacher was third while Ralf Schumacher was fourth. Raikkonen led Michael Schumacher by four in the drivers' standings, and McLaren jumped ahead of Ferrari by two points in the constructors' championship. Canadian GP, June 15 In what was close to a head-to-head battle between brothers, Michael Schumacher earned his fourth victory while Ralf came in second.

Ralf Schumacher led early but came out of his pit stop on lap 21 in third. Michael pitted a lap later and returned in second. He was in the lead by the 31st lap. Michael and Ralf ran 1-2, with Ralf challenging but never taking the lead. Kimi Raikkonen was sixth, allowing Michael Schumacher to take a three-point lead in the standings and Ferrari to return to first among constructors.

European GP, June 29 Ralf Schumacher inherited the lead on lap 26 when Kimi Raik-konen's engine blew, posting his -first victory of the season. Schumacher held a solid lead the rest of the way and beat Williams BMW teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, who finished second. Raikkonen led Schumacher by as many as eight seconds before the engine trouble. Montoya passed Michael Schumacher on the 48th lap, causing Michael to spin into the gravel and slip to sixth. Michael finished fifth.

Rubens Barrichello was third. French GP, July 6 Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya qualified 1-2 and ran the same way to-give Williams BMW its second consecutive sweep. Schumacher joined his brothjer Michael as the only repeat winners for the season. Ralf Schumacher beat Montoya by more than 13 seconds, and Montoya was nearly six seconds ahead of Michael Schumacher. Ralf Schumacher and Montoya ran 1-2 nearly the entire race.

Michael Schumacher pushed his points lead over Kimi Raikkonen to eight but Ralf Schumacher pulled within three of Raikkonen. British GP, July 20 Rubens Barrichello gave Ferrari its fifth victory of the season with a pass of Kimi Raikkonen on the 42nd lap. Barrichello needed the pass after winning the pole but losing the lead at the start Juan Pablo Montoya was second and Raikkonen third. In a stunning development in F-l racing, Jenson Button finished In the eighth and final point-scoring place after starting last Only 16 points separated the top four in the drivers' standings. German GP, Aug.

3 In one of the most dominating runs of the season, Juan Pablo Montoya won for the second time after a messy start Montoya led all but one of the 67 laps, lapped everyone but the top four places and finished 1 minute, 5.4 seconds ahead of David Coulthard. Three championship contenders Ralf Schumacher, Rubens Barrichello and Kimi Raikkonen -were taken out in a wreck at the start Jarno Trulli was third and Renault teammate Fernando Alonso was fourth. Michelin tires continued to make an impart, taking the top six places. Michael Schumacher finished seventh and remained in the points lead, six ahead of Montoya. Hungarian GP, Aug.

24 Fernando Alonso started on the pole and was in front nearly the entire race in becoming the youngest driver to win an F-l race. Alonso, born July 29, 1981, qualified 0.256 of a second faster than Ralf Schumacher and got off to a clean start Alonso led by 19 seconds just 11 Taps into the 70-lap race. Schumacher fell to 18th after a spin but recovered to finish fourth. Kimi Raikkonen was second. Juan Pablo Montoya was third, pulling within one point of eighth-place finisher Michael Schumacher in the points race, 72-71.

Tires continued to be a hot topic as the top seven finishers rode Michelin. Italian GP, Sept 14 Michael Schumacher started on the pole and won for the fifth time this season in an according-to-form race. The top five qualifiers finished in the same order. Juan Pablo Montoya, who pressed Schumacher at times, was second and Rubens Barrichello third. Fernando Alonso had another surprising run.

He started last and lost his front wing early but finished eighth. The victory pushed Schumacher to a three-point lead over Montoya in the drivers' standings. Kimi Raikkonen is seven points back with two races left Compiled by Jeff Rabjohns from news reports fail -STr-- -tm. Marino GP, April 20 Michael Schumacher won for the first time this season despite racing on the day his mother, El-t isabeth, died. His brother Ralf, 'who led early in the race, fin-ashed fourth.

Michael Schumacher eventually built as much as a 10-feecond lead and wasn't challenged down the stretch. Kimi Raikkonen was second for his fourth consecutive podium finish, giving him a 13-point lead over teammate David Coulthard in the drivers' championship. Spanish GP, May 4 Running a new Ferrari, Michael Schumacher became the first re- peat winner of the year. He held off a surprising run from Fernando Alonso, who kept his Renault within striking distance of the Ferrari most of the race. Schumacher avoided a first-turn crash that took out Jarno Trulli.

Four cars crashed and four others had mechanical failures, leaving only 12 cars for the finish. Wrecks took out both McLarens, the first nime they failed to finish, allowing Ferrari to pull within three points I n. .1 7 t. un DnDru.rc ucrccckDu i i-j i. -Ojopp i oldir Promotion starts 91203 moHnds 10903.

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