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2005 United States Grand Prix

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2005 United States Grand Prix
Company typeSporting event
IndustryMotorsport
FoundedJune 19, 2005; 21 years ago (2005-06-19)
Headquarters
Speedway, Indiana
,
United States
Area served
International (Formula One World Championship)
ProductsFormula One Grand Prix race

2005 United States Grand Prix

The 2005 United States Grand Prix—officially titled the 2005 Formula 1 United States Grand Prix—occurred on June 19, 2005, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, serving as the ninth round of the 2005 Formula One World Championship. This race became notorious due to the withdrawal of fourteen out of twenty cars over concerns related to tyre safety, leaving only six drivers competing from teams equipped with Bridgestone tyres: Ferrari, Jordan, and Minardi.

During practice sessions, Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher and Ricardo Zonta experienced two tyre failures, prompting Michelin to alert its seven client teams that their tyres could only safely endure approximately ten laps at Turn 13 without reducing speed. Although Michelin had been supplying tyres since 2001, the resurfacing of the oval segment combined with 2005 regulations prohibiting tyre changes during the race heightened safety risks.

The FIA declined Michelin’s suggestion to add a chicane aimed at lowering speeds, citing that such a modification would unfairly disadvantage Bridgestone teams and raise safety issues due to last-minute alterations to the circuit. With no agreement reached, all Michelin-backed teams withdrew before the race commenced. Subsequent reports indicated that participating might have exposed these teams to criminal charges under Indiana state law. In contrast, Bridgestone’s prior experience providing tyres for IndyCar via Firestone enabled them to supply tyres capable of withstanding the demanding conditions.

Michael Schumacher of Ferrari claimed victory, followed by teammate Rubens Barrichello in second place and Tiago Monteiro of Jordan achieving third—his sole podium finish in Formula One and Jordan’s final one as well. With many top contenders absent, Schumacher advanced to third position in the Drivers' Championship standings. The event recorded the lowest number of finishers at Indianapolis since the 1966 Indianapolis 500. This Grand Prix attracted considerable negative attention for Formula One, particularly within the United States where the sport had historically faced challenges establishing a strong fan base.

Background

This race represented the ninth event out of nineteen in the 2005 Formula One World Championship calendar and was held on the 13-turn infield road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway located in Speedway, Indiana. The date was June 19, 2005, with the official designation being the XXXIV Foster's United States Grand Prix. Before this round, Renault driver Fernando Alonso led the World Drivers' Championship standings with 59 points. He was trailed by McLaren’s Kimi Räikkönen who had accumulated 37 points and Toyota’s Jarno Trulli holding 27 points. Fourth place was occupied by Williams driver Nick Heidfeld with 25 points, while Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher ranked fifth on 24 points. In the Constructors' Championship, Renault topped with 76 points followed by McLaren at 63 points. Williams and Toyota were tied for third place with 47 points each, whereas Ferrari stood fifth with 45 points.

Qualifying

Qualifying occurred on June 18 under a format where each driver completed a single timed lap; starting order was reversed based on finishing positions from the previous Grand Prix. Drivers who were not classified were arranged according to laps completed during qualifying, with those completing more laps running later. Jarno Trulli achieved pole position by setting a lap time of 1:10.625, marking Toyota’s inaugural pole position in Formula One history. Kimi Räikkönen qualified second, followed by Jenson Button, Giancarlo Fisichella, and Michael Schumacher completing the top five. Fernando Alonso secured sixth place on the grid while other top ten qualifiers included Rubens Barrichello, Takuma Sato, Mark Webber, and Felipe Massa.

Starting Grid Classification

Pos. No Driver Constructor Lap Time Gap Starting Position
1 16 Italy Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:10.625 — 1
2 9 Finland Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:10.694 +0.069 2
3 3 United Kingdom Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1:11.277 +0.652 3
4 6 Italy Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:11.290 +0.665 4
5 1 Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:11.369 +0.744 5
6 5 Spain Fernando Alonso Renault 1:11.380 +0.755 6
7 2 Template:Country data BrazilTemplate:Namespace detect showall Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:11.431 +0.806 7
8 4 Japan Takuma Sato BAR-Honda 1:11.497 +0.872 8
9 7 Australia Mark Webber Williams-BMW 1:11.527 +0.902 9
10 12 Template:Country data BrazilTemplate:Namespace detect showall Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas 1:11.555 +0.930 10


Failures of Michelin Tyres

On the afternoon of June 17, 2005, during practice sessions, Toyota's driver Ralf Schumacher experienced a severe crash at Turn 13 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course caused by a failure of the left-rear tyre. Consequently, test driver Ricardo Zonta substituted for Schumacher throughout the weekend but also encountered a similar left-rear tyre failure during practice runs. Notably, Schumacher had suffered a comparable accident at this corner in the previous year while competing for Williams Grand Prix Engineering, which resulted in a spinal injury.

Turn 13 is a distinctive high-speed banked curve unique within Formula One circuits and imposes exceptional stress on tyres. The circuit surface had been resurfaced since the last Grand Prix with a more abrasive material, likely exacerbating tyre wear and pressure. On June 18, Michelin expressed puzzlement regarding the tyre failures experienced by its seven client teams—British American Racing, McLaren, Red Bull Racing, Renault, Sauber, Toyota, and Williams—and announced plans to bring replacement tyres from its headquarters in Clermont-Ferrand. However, these substitute tyres, identical to those previously employed earlier that season at another Grand Prix, demonstrated the same failure issues during subsequent testing.

Communication between Michelin and the FIA

On June 18, Michelin officials Pierre Dupasquier and Nick Shorrock addressed a letter to FIA Race Director Charlie Whiting, admitting uncertainty regarding the cause of Toyota's tyre failures. They could not assure tyre safety beyond 10 laps unless vehicles reduced speed at Turn 13.[1] Whiting replied on June 19, expressing surprise that Michelin had not supplied appropriate tyres and suggested teams adhere to Michelin's recommended speed restrictions at Turn 13. He dismissed proposed remedies such as introducing new tyres flown in overnight—which would violate regulations—and adding a chicane, a modification that would lead to the race losing FIA approval. He described the proposals from Michelin-supported teams as "grossly unfair" towards Bridgestone competitors.[2]

In another letter on June 18, Dupasquier and Shorrock reiterated their refusal to permit racing on qualifying tyres without circuit alterations, once again urging a reduction in speed at Turn 13. Whiting responded that no modifications would be authorized but offered alternatives: reduce speed through Turn 13, employ different-specification tyres with an associated penalty, or change tyres frequently if safety concerns arose.[3]

Efforts toward a compromise

Paul Stoddart, owner of Minardi which used Bridgestone tyres, recounted a meeting held around 10:00am on race day, June 22, involving Speedway president Tony George, Michelin executives, Formula One Management CEO Bernie Ecclestone, team principals, and Michelin technical representatives; all were present except Ferrari Team Principal Jean Todt.[4] Michelin representatives explained their tyres could not safely last the entire race distance and requested agreement from Bridgestone teams to implement a chicane at Turn 13. The assembly rejected the FIA’s speed-limit suggestion due to safety hazards and dismissed frequent pit stops as impractical. They concurred that adding a chicane was the optimal solution and assigned technical experts to prepare designs. Ecclestone proposed consulting Todt and FIA president Max Mosley before reconvening.[4]

Ecclestone returned approximately at 10:55am reporting Todt declined to endorse the chicane, asserting it was an issue between the FIA and Michelin. Todt later denied being consulted but stated he would have opposed the chicane.[5] Ecclestone also relayed that Mosley declared any circuit modification would lead to immediate cancellation of the Grand Prix.[4]

Plan by team principals

As described by Stoddart, the group explored alternatives such as holding "a non-championship race," conducting an event where Michelin teams could not accumulate points, or staging a race where only Michelin teams would use the new chicane. Ultimately, they agreed that installing the chicane and proceeding with a non-championship race—potentially without Ferrari—was preferable. Disregarding FIA directives risked withdrawal of officials; therefore, delegates were appointed to substitute for FIA staff, with team principals instructing their squads to maintain professionalism despite unenforceable technical regulations.[6]

This proposal was then presented to all twenty drivers. Stoddart noted no opposition among them, although Ferrari drivers deferred decision-making to Jean Todt, who was absent. The nine attending principals resolved not to compete unless an agreement with the FIA was reached prioritizing the sport's welfare.[6]

Later in Ecclestone's office, Renault principal Flavio Briatore engaged with Max Mosley, who reportedly rejected all suggestions and warned that any non-championship event or track alteration could jeopardize both the US Grand Prix and FIA-sanctioned motorsport activities in the United States.[4] The FIA denied this conversation took place.[7]

With no viable alternatives remaining, Michelin team principals, Stoddart, and Bernie Ecclestone—but excluding Jordan's Colin Kolles—resolved that their cars would participate in the formation lap but withdraw before racing commenced.[4] Upon learning that Jordan intended to race despite prior consensus—and after encouragement from a Bridgestone representative—Stoddart permitted his drivers to start but planned to retire them if Jordans remained on track.[6]

Race report

At the beginning of the race, all twenty cars aligned following the FIA race procedure. However, during the formation lap, every team equipped with Michelin tyres pulled into their garages at Turn 13, resulting in just six cars from the three Bridgestone-supported teams (Ferrari, Jordan, and Minardi) taking the start.[8]

This sudden withdrawal sparked frustration among spectators who were unaware of the situation.[9][10] BBC Radio commentator Maurice Hamilton described it as "the strangest race I commentated on in F1."[10] The grid of six was led by Michael Schumacher and teammate Rubens Barrichello, followed by Jordan drivers Tiago Monteiro and Narain Karthikeyan, and then Minardi’s Christijan Albers and Patrick Friesacher. Schumacher held the front position throughout with very few changes in placement.[11] The Ferrari duo quickly pulled away from the rest of the field. By lap 10, a significant portion of the estimated 100,000 to 130,000 spectators began to exit.[12][13] Large numbers of fans requested refunds at the ticket counters, prompting police intervention to keep order.[14] Throughout the event, spectators frequently expressed their displeasure with boos and objects thrown onto the track.[15]

The competition largely revolved around pit stop tactics; Albers was unique in making three stops while all others pitted twice. The few lead changes occurred exclusively during these stops: on lap 26, Schumacher’s pit stop temporarily handed Barrichello the lead; on lap 51, a quicker stop allowed Schumacher to regain first place after forcing Barrichello off the racing line. Both Ferrari drivers were instructed to avoid risks and maintained a steady pace ahead of the field.[8]

Schumacher achieved his 84th career victory and his fourth at the US Grand Prix, crossing the finish line 1.522 seconds ahead of Barrichello. Monteiro and Karthikeyan secured third and fourth places respectively, finishing over a lap behind; Minardi’s Albers and Friesacher completed fifth and sixth positions two laps down.[16][17] This race was notable for awarding its first Formula One points to all Jordan and Minardi drivers present. Karthikeyan earned not only his but also India’s first—and as of 2025, only—points in Formula One.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Additionally, it represented Minardi’s final points finish as well as the sole scoring occasions for both Albers and Friesacher.[18]

During the podium proceedings—which lacked any scheduled VIP guests—the Ferrari crew quietly accepted their trophies before promptly departing. Tiago Monteiro stayed behind to celebrate his maiden and only podium appearance, marking an important achievement for Portuguese motorsport.[8]

Race results

Pos. No Driver Team Tyre supplier Laps Time/Reason for retirement Grid Points earned
1 1 Germany Michael Schumacher Ferrari Template:Bridgestone 73 1:29:43.181 5 10
2 2 Template:Country data BRATemplate:Namespace detect showall Rubens Barrichello Ferrari Template:Bridgestone 73 +1.522 7 8
3 18 Portugal Tiago Monteiro Jordan-Toyota Template:Bridgestone 72 +1 lap 17 6
4 19 India Narain Karthikeyan Jordan-Toyota Template:Bridgestone 72 +1 lap 19 5
5 21 Netherlands Christijan Albers Minardi-Cosworth Template:Bridgestone 71 +2 laps 18 4
6 20 Austria Patrick Friesacher Minardi-Cosworth Template:Bridgestone 71 +2 laps 20 3
DNS 16 Italy Jarno Trulli Toyota Template:Michelin 0 \(Withdrew due to tyre issues\) 1
DNS 9 Finland Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes Template:Michelin 0 \(Withdrew due to tyre issues\) 2
DNS

... (other DNS entries omitted for brevity, all withdrew over tyre concerns) ...


Aftermath

Michael Schumacher's only triumph of the 2005 season propelled him from fifth to third place in the World Drivers' Championship standings, narrowing the points gap to the leaders Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen, who retained first and second with 59 and 37 points respectively; Schumacher accumulated 34 points.[11] Rubens Barrichello's runner-up finish raised him to fourth with 29 points, while Jarno Trulli slipped to fifth with 27.[11] In the Constructors' Championship, Ferrari moved up to share second place with McLaren, each holding 63 points behind Renault's 76. Both Jordan and Minardi earned points, surpassing BAR-Honda at the lower end of the table.[17] Nevertheless, the race was largely overshadowed by the withdrawal of Michelin-backed teams and their inability to resolve tyre-related issues allowing safe competition.[10][16]

Bernie Ecclestone expressed concern about Formula One’s prospects in the United States and Michelin’s role, describing the situation as "not good," while emphasizing that fault did not lie with the teams involved.[19] The event was broadly condemned as a fiasco; David Coulthard questioned whether Formula One could sustain races in America.[1] Stephen Wade from Associated Press connected the boycott to ongoing disputes with Max Mosley, which had threatened the emergence of a rival racing series.[20] Richard Williams of The Guardian highlighted how these conflicts hindered compromise efforts and increased the likelihood of division within the sport.[15]

During and after the race, Minardi team principal Paul Stoddart strongly criticized the FIA, labeling it a "farce," which he claimed ruined Minardi's fight for points against Jordan. He stated: "The championship's over for Minardi... This nonsense race means that the season ends here."[21] Stoddart later disclosed that nine teams—all except Ferrari—had agreed not to participate; however, Jordan reversed its boycott at the last moment, preventing Minardi from withdrawing.[22] In a comprehensive statement, Stoddart attributed unreliable tyres to Michelin but primarily held Mosley and the FIA responsible for failing to reach an agreement, also assigning some blame to Ferrari team principal Jean Todt. He called for Mosley's resignation.[23]

FIA's response

The FIA defended its decision against permitting a tyre replacement or the introduction of a chicane, referencing "explicit regulations" that could not be modified simply because a team arrived with "incorrect equipment" at the event. It maintained that implementing a chicane would have drastically changed the circuit layout without adhering to current safety protocols, thereby exposing the FIA to potential legal consequences. On June 29, the seven teams using Michelin tyres were summoned before the World Motor Sport Council to clarify their absence from the race, which might have breached the Concorde Agreement. The FIA released correspondence sent to each team, accusing them of infringing article 151c of the International Sporting Code for "actions detrimental to the interests of competition or motorsport in general." The allegations included:

  • Not supplying appropriate tyres for the event.
  • Unjustifiably preventing cars from starting.
  • Wrongfully refusing permission for cars to compete under speed limitations at a particular corner.
  • Coordinating a protest that harmed Formula 1’s reputation by pitting before the race began.
  • Neglecting to inform race officials about their decision not to participate.

On June 22, Max Mosley clarified the FIA’s viewpoint by likening the scenario to an engine malfunction necessitating reduced speeds. He stressed that the proposed chicane had never undergone testing and was considered unsafe, questioning why teams did not opt for alternatives such as running through the pit lane. With only six Bridgestone-equipped vehicles competing, Michelin teams could still have contested for minor championship points.

The Council, on June 29, ruled that teams were guilty of providing unsuitable tyres and obstructing their cars from starting but cleared them of other accusations. Sentencing was postponed until September 14. Nevertheless, on July 22, after new evidence was presented to the FIA Senate, the Council reversed its prior judgment and absolved the Michelin teams. BBC Sport reported that Ron Dennis and Red Bull’s Christian Horner explained that Indiana state law compelled Michelin teams to withdraw, as continuing could have led to criminal liability for endangering others.

Horner later described the withdrawal as "extremely challenging," while acknowledging that factors beyond sporting considerations influenced their choice.

Compensation

On June 28, Michelin announced plans to reimburse all spectators who had purchased tickets for the Grand Prix. Refunds were scheduled to be distributed via cheques through the Speedway ticket office by late September. Furthermore, Michelin acquired 20,000 tickets for the 2006 United States Grand Prix intended for distribution among fans who attended the 2005 event. Discussions also took place regarding a potential second, non-championship race at Indianapolis. During the 2005 French Grand Prix on July 2, McLaren team principal Ron Dennis proposed holding an additional race after the season’s conclusion at the 2005 Chinese Grand Prix, noting that teams had consulted with Bernie Ecclestone about this possibility. However, Tony George dismissed these plans on July 3, stating: "There will be no race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this fall."

At the 2005 Grand Prix of Cleveland, which occurred one week following the US Grand Prix as part of the 2005 Champ Car World Series calendar, free entry was granted to all individuals presenting US Grand Prix ticket stubs.

Friday practice drivers

Teams that ranked below the top four in the 2004 Constructors' Championship were permitted to run a third car during Friday practice sessions. These additional drivers took part exclusively in practice and did not participate in qualifying or the race itself, with the exception of Ricardo Zonta, who stepped in for Ralf Schumacher following a practice crash.

Team Driver
McLaren-Mercedes Spain Pedro de la Rosa
Sauber-Petronas None
Red Bull-Cosworth United States Scott Speed
Toyota Template:Country data BrazilTemplate:Namespace detect showall Ricardo Zonta
Jordan-Toyota Template:Country data MonacoTemplate:Namespace detect showall Robert Doornbos
Minardi-Cosworth None

Standings in the championship following the event

Drivers' Championship rankings
Pos Driver Points
1 Spain Fernando Alonso 59
2 Finland Kimi Räikkönen 37
2 3 Germany Michael Schumacher 34
3 4 Template:Country data BrazilTemplate:Namespace detect showall Rubens Barrichello 29
2 5 Italy Jarno Trulli 27
Constructors' Championship rankings
Pos Constructor Points
1 France Renault 76
2 Template:Country data UKTemplate:Namespace detect showall McLaren-Mercedes 63
2 3 Italy Ferrari 63
1 4 Template:Country data UKTemplate:Namespace detect showall Williams-BMW 47
1 5 Japan Toyota 47

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Telegraph
  2. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Stoddart's Comments
  5. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named non-FIA USGP plan
  7. ↑ FIA denies Stoddart claim
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named crashreport
  9. ↑ Herman, Steve (June 20, 2005). "Fans outraged by depleted U.S. Grand Prix field". USA Today. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named strangest
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Ferrari
  12. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named boos
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gear
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named analysis
  18. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  19. ↑ ITV interview
  20. ↑ Wade, Stephen
  21. ↑ Stoddart interview
  22. ↑ ITV report
  23. ↑ Crash.net feature
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