Special Review: 2005 US GP

 

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome to my Special Review with a temporary revived F1 GP Review.

You know, its been a year since I’ve done with my last year’s season, which I thought it will be fun, but due to a lackluster reaction, I pretty much canceled it after one season, cause I wanted to share my thoughts to you all, but due to DA’s algorithm that I barely got favs, comments and others, I decided to just tossed in a bin after the season is over. However, I felt like to bring it back, but im a limited of time, but im only prefer to going back in time to do my review of F1 Grand Prix to the past, some that I remember seeing it from my childhood or some that got a lot of attention. But today’s temporary revival review, I felt like to talking about quite possibly one of the worst GP in F1’s history before 2021 Belgian GP that taken place… In America.

The 2005 US Grand Prix took place on June 19th in 2005 season in Indianapolis Motor Speedway that became infamous that ruined the image of F1 in America for all the wrong and stupid reason why 2005 season was… Dare I say, the most questionable season when it comes to rule changing that it only use in one and only season. As well as the good’ol fashion they said they said both before, during, and after the race.

So, how bad can it be for ruining US market of F1 before an the return of US GP at Austin, Texas in 2012?

Well, lets find out.

Before the event

For nearly century, Indianapolis Motor Speedway had been in a loooong journey of many races and sessions in May, or even other races outside of IMS. I guess it explained why its called “The Month of May” to this day. However, the major downside is that winter season was nothing but a pain in the asses for the constant repaved every year when the snowing hit the track, but that cost a lot of money for repaving every year before we get to either US GP or the iconic Indy 500, so the track has repaved with diamond grind. The diamond grind surface is smooth as Carlos Sainz’s Smooth Operation in Ferrari for easy grips and less problem of drainage, but the downside is that it can also be sharp as millions of knives that could potentially ruining the tires in racing or even driving on the road with diamond grinding. It was first tested around on April in multi tests, a month before Indy 500 of 2005, with four Indy Racing League teams had a tested in privacy at the new track surface with Firestone (the subsidiary brand from Bridgestone), but it ended up gone wrong that they had to repaved due to unsuitable dual grips, until it went fine both the test and into the Indy 500. Bridgestone are eventually got used to make a harder tires when it comes to diamond grind surface after done with multi tests, but other tire brand in F1, Michelin, didn’t even bother to test the surface to just jump over based on Michelin’s domination from F1’s new rule without learning a cautionary tale of NASCAR’s 2005 Coca-Cola 600 (when Charlotte Motor Speedway also used diamond grind that caused dozens of cautions that Goodyear should’ve realized, but that’s a different story).

“But what’s the new rule?”, you ask yourself. Well, since 2000 to 2004, Ferrari was dominant in five seasons for not just their best cars nor even best career of our childhood hero Michael Schumacher, but its due to the chemistry between Ferrari and Bridgestone based on their unique strategy, using soft compound and minimal of refueling in insane speed against any other teams like McLaren, Renault, Williams and others. So FIA saw it as an opportunity to creating a new rule in 2005 season, where every teams only using harder sprint tires throughout the races, meaning everyone will never pitting for changing tires, but only for refueling (minus the weather conditions like raining). This rule sounds good idea in theory this rule easily ruining Ferrari’s domination based on Bridgestone’s slow tyre performances, resulting a focus rivalry between Renault and McLaren, but that rule became a problem that some drivers really want to change so badly, such as what happened at 2005 European GP (taken place in Nürburgring) when McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen was in a lead, until at the final lap that his front left tyre went from vibration to completely destroying his suspension before going to the first corner, which was the first sign of problem from “the new rule”. But that all change when we went to Indiana.

The Event

By the way, real talk, when I was a little kid, I was enjoying see the race in previous GPs with my dad or even my uncle to watching in F1, whether be qualification or even the racing, but when I saw it as a kid, I had no idea what’s going on, because I was pretty naïve and ignorant to understanding the news in F1, even though this was long before we have social media, which I thought the race was questionably odd, but looking back now, this is where I questioned “What in a world were they thinking for changing the rules whatsoever?!”, so here it goes.

During the practice session on Friday, we witnessed Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher (Michael’s young brother) spun out of control and crashed at the wall of 13th corner (aka Indy 500’s first corner), which is the second time since last year’s US GP at the racing where Ralf (who used to be in Williams) was not only concussed, but also had a broken back. But here, he was ok, but due to a concerning medical ground from what happened in previous year, he was replaced by Ricardo Zonta, which he’ll be fine, until he has a same problem from spun out with tire problem from either blew it up or blistering, the latter of them cause a concern for teams with Michelin tires. Only three Bridgestone teams, Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi are doing fine for their practice, but teams with Michelin tires had some problems from various reasons like the aforementioned potential blew up or blistering, thus resulting to negotiation to figuring out what’s the problem or even what to do to solve the problems or not, some put the blame over the resurfacing diamond grind that Michelin ruining their tires, but others put the blame at Michelin for blindly went ahead without a couple of test like nothing happened, cause again, Michelin was dominant thanks to FIA’s new rule.

But in a weekend during qualification and before the race, both Michelin, the teams and FIA had numerous options they all of them are rejected, such as FIA suggested all Michelin cars to just slow down at the final corner before crossing the starting/finish line, but that definitely won’t work that could easily plain anti-climatic to see cars going slow like a snails at the final corner, Michelin suggested this race will be a non-championship based on a serious problem that it shouldn’t effect the championship, but FIA said no, then Michelin suggested only every teams with Michelin tires race but after every 10 laps, they have to pit, but that won’t work, since the rule is all about sprinting, so it got rejected. Then around in a last hour before the race, teams and Michelin suggested a chicane taking place before turn 13, but it was rejected again both FIA and Ferrari (yup, the big red team are also in argument that adding chicane won’t work, so we thought). Why they’re all rejected at three latter? Its because those suggestion (that they’re not came up by FIA) are violating of changing the current rules at the time, otherwise, FIA will never race in USA ever again, which cause a massive argument that based on strict sanction that they’ll making walkout with unsanctioned rule without FIA, which it sounds like they could make the death of F1 via split brand, Indycar style since 1996. Right before FIA reached their boiling point and permanently decided all Michelin teams will NEVER race after qualifying in Indianapolis, because FIA thinks its all Michelin’s fault for not bringing proper tires, which is where we got here.

Basically in a nutshell, FIA pretty much acting like they got shot themselves in a foot from a potential walkout unsanctioned, by pretty much tell everyone to shut the hell up and let FIA make their own changing rules, otherwise “We will never race in United States, EVER AGAIN because of you idiots don’t understand that we constantly say NO on your worthless options!”. Like jeez, over-sensitive much??

The starting grids (if you can call that, with Bold for only drivers be on a race) are;

Pole: Jarno Trulli (Toyota) (His first pole in Toyota)

2: Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren)

3: Jenson Button (BAR)

4: Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault)

5: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)

6: Fernando Alonso (Renault) (Before taken his first champ in his career that we all know

7: Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)

8: Takuma Sato (BAR)

9: Mark Webber (Williams)

10: Felipe Massa (Sauber)

11: Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams)

12: Jacques Villeneuve (Sauber) (Oh hey, I didn’t know the 97 champ was in Sauber…)

13: Ricardo Zonta (Toyota) (Yup, he took place to replacing Ralf Schumacher, but that didn’t last long)

14: Christian Klein (Red Bull)

15: Nick Heidfield (Williams)

16: David Coulthard (Red Bull) (Remember when DC was good in McLaren? Good times…)

17: Tiago Monteiro (Jordan) (Yeah, Jordan is no longer the same when they used to back in the late 90s)

18: Christian Albers (Minardi)

19: Narain Karthikeyan (Jordan)

20: Patrick Friesacher (Minardi) (He’s much as worthless before being replaced by racer turned porn maker, Robert Doornbos. Im not kidding for the latter.)

As I said before, before the race, there were discussion with all the last minute options that are all rejected before FIA flexing their heelish muscles to tell everyone to follow their last minute decision and stick it. It starts off in a formation lap that at first, again, when I saw it as a kid, I was exciting to see something promising race in US, but we all know how it turned out. As David Coulthard said on a radio “If that is the case, if there’s still indecision with the team principles, again, if it comes to my choice, I want to race.”, based on a discussion like that, yeah, I wish that last minute changing shouldn’t happened. Instead, we witnessed almost every cars like Toyota, Renault, McLaren, BAR, Sauber, Williams and Red Bull parked their cars in their garages, leaving the crowd both shocked and disgusted that only six cars parked on a near empty grids with the aforementioned Bridgestone teams, Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi.

When the race begins, it feels like no action, Ferrari doing their things of Schumi vs Barrichello, while both Jordan and Albers scrambled each others, while Friesacher just… Being Friesacher. But after three laps, the F1 engines was overshadowed by a chorus of boos by the fans, holding a protest signs, early walking out of stands and even throwing bottles on the track (To quote from Mystery Science Theater F1, “This is getting out of hand! There’s outrage and there’s killing other people!”).

At this point, other than the fans walking out of stands in protest for refund (which some of them didn’t get, unless Michelin does offered some refund or kept their tickets for next year or in Champ Car’s Cleveland Grand Prix, the most lamest airport track ever), the race is… Pretty boring, it feels pretty much lackluster that we watch a near empty track with six cars, minus when Schumacher and Barrichello both had a near contact with Rubens went off from track, but going back in there. Though if they do crash, it would’ve been crazy to see Jordan take the victory with Monteiro, with Karthikayen ins 2nd, while Minardi’s Albers taking a first and only podium. Can you imagine that, eh?

Speaking of Minardi, I forgot to mentioning before the race, Paul Stoddart (the boss of Minardi) was pissed about the discussion that he wanted his team and others to do a protest for solidarity, but that didn’t happened, which during the race, Stoddart was interviewed (in pissed off mood) calling the FIA didn’t have a care of his team nor even sports and claiming Minardi’s time is over for unable to overtaking Jordan (Oh come on Stoddart, this is Minardi, the biggest backmarker team ever for… Obviously lackluster performance for so many years), despite they’ll get a small points in US… Ok, I know Stoddart was pissed for being not able to get along of protest and even Minardi’s final year for lack of funding, but jeez Stoddart, I know you were pissed about this, but there’s no excuse of saying “we’re not able to getting points nor even beating Jordan” because FIA didn’t have a care about you, man, your team is slow as current Turbocharged Williams since 2018. Again, despite Minardi got a small points in US, but still, what’s their excuse, bitching over Jordan’s out beating, or Friesacher’s poor driving in F1?? (Sorry for building up my rant…)

After a loooong, boring race with six cars with 73 laps, Michael Schumacher claimed his first and only victory in 2005 season, with his teammate Rubens Barrichello in 2nd and Jordan’s Tiago Monteiro took a 3rd place, making his first and only time in a podium and being the only Portuguese driver in a podium ever as im writing this. Ferrari just shown briefly and quietly in a podium, they just took a trophy and champagne then left, but Monteiro celebrated all alone in a podium that im pretty sure he gave the inspiration of Bronze medal meme.

Post-race result (minus every teams with Michelin tires);

Winner: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari)

2: Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari)

3: Tiago Monteiro (Jordan) (Insert Bronze Medal meme)

4: Narain Karthikayen (Jordan)

5: Christian Alberse (Minardi)

6: Patrick Friesacher (Minardi) (Nope, he’s still worthless…)

After the event

By this point, the while “no tires changing” rule was a complete and utter disaster idea, this is the equivalent of experiment gone wrong ever since FIA tried to taking a new rule based on what Ferrari did in their glorious early 2000s time before Renault’s Fernando Alonso claimed his first championship in his career, along with Renault claimed the constructors championship, its not hard to see why at the end of that season, FIA changed back to the old tires changing rule.

Sure, the 2006’s US Grand Prix is rather better than last year, but the damage was already done, the US market of F1 was dwindled due to lack of interest from controversy and the US GP held the final race at 2007 with McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton being the last winner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway in F1. But it won’t be until in 2012 that the US GP is back, this time, taking place in Circuit Of The America (or COTA for short) in Austin, Texas that we all know today, and as im writing this, we have three US tracks in F1, not only COTA, but also Miami International Autodrome and the Las Vegas Strip Circuit (even though its a street circuit).

As for Michelin, they announced they’ll never renew their contract in F1 and 2006 will be Michelin’s final year and it was the last time we ever had a Tyre War. Though from before, the current tire supplier, Pirelli is still with us, though before the extended contract, there was a rumor whether or not either Hankook will make a replacement or Bridgestone’s return, but as im writing this, Pirelli remains in F1 forever, even though I wish if either Hankook or Bridgestone going to F1, otherwise, we might as well bring back Tire War since 2006 if one of both wanted to be in F1 so badly.

Conclusion

So, what do we have learned about this disaster?

Well, the best way to describing this, its a full on he said/he said debacle from blaming at FIA’s questionable rules and blaming at Michelin for not creating a proper tires than was Bridgestone did after their private test to Indy 500 with their subsidiary Firestone. Which is something that we gotta test the tires if they’re good to go before the disaster happened, especially when it comes to a horribly “No tire changing” rule, which is pretty much one of those “Experiment Gone Wrong” when we went to IMS, while they resurfaced their paved track that what we have here today. And not to mention, this whole “No Tire Changing” feels like one of those FIA’s worst things they’ve ever done since the current budget or heck even the unnecessary red flags. Speaking of tires, its been decades since we haven’t have a tire brand vs tire brand, while Pirelli is still with us today, but we have Hankook tire are joining motorsports like Formula E, not to mention, it had a rumor whether or not Hankook will be a takeover tire supply in F1, or even bring us back the tire war, it will be pretty divided if the tire war return comes reality, otherwise, Tire War is gonna be like military war, nobody won, everybody’s lost. While I enjoy watching F1 to this day, but we’ll never forget sometimes, F1 gave us from craptacular shows like the 2005 US GP.

So this ends of my Special Review, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.