01/07/2005
NEWS STORY
In an unscheduled press conference at Magny Cours, F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone admitted that, on reflection, the teams were right not to race at Indianapolis.
"I'm pleased in a lot of ways," said Ecclestone, when asked how he felt about the fact that seven teams opted to withdraw from the event, on safety grounds. "Maybe those tyres wouldn't have lasted with a chicane or even two chicanes," he added, referring to the only option that (tyre supplier) Michelin believed was available.
"Maybe the tyres were just not up to it.," he added. "I think we could easily have lost somebody there so maybe we got lucky.
Also present was McLaren boss, Ron Dennis, who acted as spokesman for the teams: "Every effort was made by the teams to find a solution as it was by Bernie," said Dennis. "However, the simple fact is that the teams put safety before any commercial consideration and that was a point that was obviously clearly appreciated by the drivers.
"At the point at which we were faced with a decision and were trying to find solutions, the option of racing did not exist," he admitted.
"In the end, and with hindsight even more so, the bottom line was there were no options," added Ecclestone.
Of the compensation package offered by Michelin earlier this week, which will see fans' ticket money refunded and 20,000 tickets given away for next year's event - if it happens - Ecclestone said: "I thought they were going to do better. We'll try and see if they can sharpen their pencils.
"They have stood up like men and said we made a mistake and we're prepared to pay for it," he continued. "But really there weren't any options. If there were, we'd have taken them."
Asked if any good would come of the Indianapolis idiocy, Ecclestone replied: "You have to look for the good in everything, even in the bad you look for the good.
"There's nothing really positive except the fact that we've probably all learnt a lot of lessons," he added. "And we're well known in America now.
"I think if we do our job right, help promote the race and Michelin get behind us, which I'm sure they will, we will see it much bigger."