29/06/2005
NEWS STORY
19 F1 drivers, including the 14 scheduled to take part in the United States Grand Prix, Ralf Schumacher, the other Michelin teams' third drivers, and the two Minardi drivers, Christijan albers and Patrick Friesacher, have issued a joint statement in which they claim that a chicane was the only "perfectly workable solution".
The drivers claim that a speed limit, which was never defined, or the idea of drivers "voluntarily" slowing through Turn 13, would have been "unworkable, unpoliceable and unsafe".
"There is one good racing line through Turn 13," read the statement. "All of us would have tried to take that line. If a car subject to the restriction had to slow down approaching Turn 13 on the racing line, a car behind it not subject to the restriction would have had to take avoiding action and try to overtake on the Turn off the racing line. This would have put both drivers at considerable risk.
"All of us wanted to have a proper race at Indianapolis," the statement continued, "which is one of motor racing's most sacred venues, and to showcase Formula One to the American public. We are all extremely disappointed that we were unable to do this."