JUAN PABLO MONTOYA WINS CRASH-MARRED GERMAN GRAND PRIX

HOCKENHEIM, Germany -- Juan Pablo Montoya stayed cool as all around him suffered in fierce heat on Sunday when he moved into contention for the drivers' world championship by winning a crash-marred German Grand Prix.

The Colombian, lying third going into the race, jumped up to second and within six points of defending champion German Michael Schumacher with his second victory in the last six races and the third win of his career.

But afterwards he played down his chances of seizing the drivers' title and ending three years of domination by Schumacher and Ferrari.

"No, I am not talking about it or thinking about it. Anything can happen. There are four races to go and we'll just see what happens," Montoya said.

As the track temperature touched 50 degrees Celsius, Montoya, in a Williams, pulled clear from the 11th pole position of his career.

After three rapid pit stops, he came home 67 seconds clear of second-place Briton David Coulthard in a McLaren.

Schumacher, who started sixth for Ferrari, fought his way up to second place but suffered a puncture to his left rear tire with three laps remaining and, after an emergency pit stop, finished seventh.

Italian Jarno Trulli and Spaniard Fernando Alonso finished third and fourth in the two Renaults, but Trulli, suffering from exhaustion and dehydration, almost collapsed afterwards and missed the normally mandatory news conference. He lay on the ground before climbing the podium, being sprayed with water.

Frenchman Olivier Panis was fifth for Toyota ahead of his teammate Brazilian Cristiano da Matta. Schumacher was seventh and Briton Jenson Button eighth for BAR-Honda.

It was a great day for Montoya who made the most of the elimination of Williams teammate German Ralf Schumacher, Brazilian Rubens Barrichello of Ferrari and Kimi Raikkonen of McLaren in a multiple collision at the first corner.

"That made the race much easier for me than it would have been otherwise," Montoya said.

Raikkonen's car lost three wheels in the high-speed crash and the driver was taken to the circuit medical center for checks before being released with a bruised leg.

The Finn had been second in the title race before Sunday.

The accident triggered a secondary crash which wiped out three other cars.

With four races remaining, Schumacher leads with 71 points with Montoya second on 65, the Latin American having accumulated two wins, three seconds and one third on his hot streak since he won the Monaco Grand Prix on June 1.

"I think it went really well today," said Montoya. "The whole weekend went really well for me and today the car was just fantastic -- all day long.

"I got a great start and I just went from there. I don't know what happened to Ralf at the start but I just pushed and pushed and they all seemed to just drop away.

"I managed to get a lot out of the car and it went very well. I had a bit of an issue on lap 15 and lost a bit of top speed but that was all. The conditions? It was hot but they were honestly not too bad. Physically I felt pretty good. But I am sure it was a pretty different race for everyone behind me."

Montoya had three pit stops while most of his rivals opted for two and the Colombian's strategy paid off handsomely.

"I was just trying not to make any mistakes all day and to keep on putting in consistent laps," he said. "From our point of view, three stops was the best way to go, so I ended up one minute ahead of the next guy. Obviously it worked."

Coulthard, who started 10th, grabbed his first podium finish since winning the season-opening Australian Grand Prix to make up for his McLaren team's loss of title-challenger Raikkonen in the first-corner pileup.

He said: "I saw it on the big screen when the safety car came out. It looked to me like Kimi was on the outside, cars were jockeying around and they probably didn't see each other and this led to the incident.

"I am delighted to be back on the podium. It's been a difficult season for me, especially in qualifying. But my race pace has been good and that is the key for future success."

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA EARNS FIRST POLE OF 2003

HOCKENHEIM, Germany -- Juan Pablo Montoya gained his first pole position of the season Saturday, leading a 1-2 finish for Williams-BMW in qualifying for the German Grand Prix.

With track temperatures reaching 117 degrees, Montoya timed 1 minute, 15.167 seconds on the 2.84-mile Hockenheimring circuit, ahead of teammate Ralf Schumacher.

Schumacher's brother, five-time world champion Michael, was just sixth in his Ferrari. He has not won a pole since May's Austrian GP but still leads the driver's standings. Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello was ahead of Schumacher for the second consecutive time, qualifying third.

"It was not my best qualifying. The handling was not perfect, but I am still optimistic for the race,'' said Michael Schumacher, the defending German GP champion.

It's Montoya's 11th career pole position and first since the Italian GP in September.

He said the heat could play a role in Sunday's race.

"It's going to be hard physically and mentally, but the reliability of the car will be a factor,'' Montoya said. "We have been good in that this year.''

Williams-BMW has dominated the past two months, with three race victories, four second-place finishes and four poles. Sunday will mark the third time this season the team will start 1-2.

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, who trails Michael Schumacher in the season standings by seven points, qualified fifth, one spot behind Renault's Jarno Trulli.

2004 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX MOVING TO JUNE DATE
IMS, city welcome new summer date

INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, Aug. 1, 2003 – Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Formula One Management (FOM) officials have agreed to a change on the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship schedule that will move the United States Grand Prix from its traditional September date to Sunday, June 20 next year.

The change is subject to the approval of the National Sporting Authority, the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States (ACCUS), the FIA Formula One Commission and the FIA World Motor Sport Council.

Though the fourth running of the United States Grand Prix is two months away, Speedway officials wanted to make the 2004 date change official due to the event’s significant impact.

“This is exciting news for race fans, for IMS and for the city of Indianapolis,” said Tony George, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “This new summer date will be good for travelers, both U.S. and international. If the FIA keeps its other traditional dates, this will set up a North American swing for F1.”

The FIA and FOM have released a 2004 schedule with only dates. Locations of the other events have not been confirmed. In June 2003, the Canadian Grand Prix was June 15, and it traditionally follows the Monaco Grand Prix by two weeks.

The city of Indianapolis and IMS will now play host to three of the largest sporting events in the world in less than three months.

“Next summer will be extremely exciting as Indianapolis becomes the worldwide center of attention three times in three months,” Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson said. “This new timing will bring a fresh new look to Indianapolis, and we look forward to making next year’s United States Grand Prix a continuing success.”

Speedway officials admit that changing the facility from an oval circuit to a road course and then back to an oval will present challenges, but they have equal concern for city leaders preparing for the new date.

“It was important for the Speedway to announce this date change as soon as it became official,” George said. “The United States Grand Prix is an international sporting event that not only has a prominent place on the world motorsports calendar, it is major event here in the state of Indiana. This change could impact several events regionally, so we wanted to make it official immediately.”

Other city leaders see the benefit of the new date and expect a June United States Grand Prix to augment the Indianapolis summer calendar of events.

“Welcoming the Grand Prix into our summer lineup presents many exciting opportunities for visitors,” said Bob Bedell, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. “The hospitality community appreciates the continued commitment to our city by both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Formula One.”

Officials believe the shift to the June date will also increase the visibility of the United States Grand Prix and Formula One in America because the event will not compete for media coverage with the National Football League or American college football.

HOMECOMING FOR MANY AS TIGHT TITLE CHASE RESUMES IN GERMANY

HOCKENHEIM, Germany, Thursday, July 31, 2003 – The close battle for this year’s Drivers and Constructors World Championships resumes this weekend on the home ground of many of the key drivers and teams involved in the fray.

The German Grand Prix is the 12th of 16 rounds in this season’s FIA Formula One World Championship that includes the United States Grand Prix on Sept. 28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This is the home Grand Prix for Germany’s Michael Schumacher, who leads the Drivers Championship with 69 points after scoring four wins in his Ferrari this season. It’s also the home Grand Prix for his younger brother, Ralf Schumacher. He’s won twice this season in his Williams-BMW and scored points in every race except the British Grand Prix. He’s fourth in the standings with 53 points.

On the team side, this is the home race for West McLaren’s engine partner, Mercedes-Benz, and Williams’ engine partner, BMW.

Kimi Raikkonen is second in the standings with one win and 62 points in his McLaren-Mercedes.

“It’s a bit special because it is one of the home Grands Prix for the team,” Raikkonen said. “There will be a lot of Mercedes-Benz employees in the grandstands and hopefully we can give them something to cheer about.”

Juan Pablo Montoya has a victory, three second places and a third place in the last five races in his Williams-BMW, and that has put 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner Montoya third in the standings with 55 points. Ferrari’s Rubens Barrichello, one of seven drivers to win this year, is fifth with 49 points.

This is also the home Grand Prix for Sauber-Petronas teammates Nick Heidfeld and Heinz-Harald Frentzen, both of whom grew up in the town of Moenchengladbach. And it’s a home race for Panasonic Toyota, which is based in Koln.

While the German Grand Prix is a home race for many elements of F1, the tight championship race will take center stage.

“It’s race by race,” Barrichello said. “It’s been quite good to have won the last race as that put me a little bit better into the championship. It’s closer than ever, but it’s probably one of the most difficult situations, as well, because you have 10 points for the first and five points for the fourth – something like this – so it’s still quite difficult to get back all the points that we have lost during the season. I want to win races now, so I’m not thinking of the championship.”

Montoya said: “You’ve got to take it race by race and see what happens. I’ve got to make sure I finish every race and take good points home, and if you can win a race, go for the win, if you can finish second, finish second. When you get to the end of the season, you see where you are. It’s very difficult to say which way it’s going to go.”

Although he is leading the standings by seven points over Raikkonen, Michael Schumacher said the championship is still open.

“We have all been so close together that it’s very difficult to predict,” he said, “but at least we all have the opportunity.”

Michael Schumacher has failed to win in the last three races this season. That last time he competed in four or more races without winning was in 2000 when he had a five-race winless streak that began in the Austrian Grand Prix and ran through the Belgian Grand Prix.

Ralf Schumacher said consistency will be the key to winning the title.

“You have to finish every race and score the points and see where you are, and hopefully win as many as possible,” he said. “The (Williams/BMW/Michelin) package has been brilliant recently. I have been quick in the last five races, so I wonder what I should change. I guess we have reasonably good chances to win races this year.”

Raikkonen said: “Seven points is not that big a gap. If they (Ferrari and Michael Schumacher) have one retirement, it can all turn around.”

In other F1 news, Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Director Norbert Haug has quashed rumors that Montoya will replace David Coulthard at McLaren-Mercedes next year. The team has sometimes made its next year’s driver lineup announcement at the German Grand Prix, but that will not be the case this year.

“Our plan is not to surprise you,” Haug said. “We want to concentrate on our home race. I don’t expect surprises (in our driver lineup) for next year.”

2003 German Grand Prix Fast Facts

Date: Sunday, Aug. 3, 2003

Race: Twelfth of 16 on 2003 schedule

Venue: Hockenheim

On TV: Race (live) – 7:30 a.m. (EDT) Aug. 3, Speed Channel. Qualifying 2 (live) – 8 a.m. (EDT) Aug. 2, Speed Channel. Qualifying 1 (live) – 8 a.m. (EDT) Aug. 1, Speed Channel

Circuit length: 2.842 miles, 4.574 km

Race length: 67 laps

2002 race winner: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari

2002 pole winner: Michael Schumacher, Ferrari

Recent winners: 2001 – Ralf Schumacher, 2000 – Rubens Barrichello, 1999 – Eddie Irvine, 1998 – Mika Hakkinen, 1997 – Gerhard Berger, 1996 – Damon Hill, 1995 – Michael Schumacher, 1994 – Berger, 1993 – Alain Prost, 1992 – Nigel Mansell, 1991 – Mansell

DRIVERS, CONSTRUCTORS RACES WIDE OPEN; DALE JR. WELCOMES WILLIAMS-BMW TO BUD STABLE

SILVERSTONE, England, Tuesday, July 22, 2003 – The outcome of the Drivers and Constructors World Championships are still wide open following the exciting and dramatic British Grand Prix. Rubens Barrichello won the race and became the seventh different winner in 11 races so far this season.

A year ago, Michael Schumacher clinched the Drivers Championship at the 11th race of the season. After 11 races in the 2003 season, seven drivers still have a mathematical chance to win the title.

Defending World Champion Michael Schumacher leads with 69 points, followed by Kimi Raikkonen with 62, 2000 Indianapolis 500 Juan Pablo Montoya with 55, Ralf Schumacher with 53 and Barrichello with 49 in a blazing five-way title fight. Mathematical long shots are Fernando Alonso, sixth with 39 points, and David Coulthard, seventh with 33.

“It is still open,” said Raikkonen, who shaved one point from Schumacher’s championship lead by finishing ahead of him in the British Grand Prix. “We still have a good chance, and the seven points (gap) now is one less than before this race. You never know what happens in the races, and it can turn around completely very quickly in the next race.

“We are pushing hard as a team, and we are serious, and we will see if we can manage. We do our best and hopefully we can get it back (in the points lead) before the end of the season.”

With five consecutive podium finishes (one victory, one third place and three second places), Montoya has now moved ahead of Williams-BMW teammate Ralf Schumacher to take third.

“Anything can happen,” Montoya said of his championship hopes. “If I win the next race and Michael DNFs, I am four points behind, and if he wins and I DNF, he is 24 ahead, so, I don’t know. Just wait and see what happens.”

Although he is 20 points behind his Ferrari teammate, Barrichello it still aiming for the title.

“The championship is always open,” Barrichello said.

***

Budweiser sponsors Williams-BMW: Budweiser has signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with the BMW WilliamsF1 team. Budweiser, well known in U.S. racing circles, was an associate sponsor during Juan Pablo Montoya’s Indianapolis 500 victory in 2000. The brand sponsors NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr., who will compete in the Brickyard 400 on Aug. 3 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I’ve really become a big (F1) fan in the last couple of years, so I’m pumped to welcome Juan Pablo (Montoya) and Ralf (Schumacher) as my newest teammates,” Earnhardt told the Associated Press. “Now I know where I can get tickets if the calendar works out, and those guys are welcome in our garage area anytime.”

***

Wilson replaces Pizzonia: Rookie Justin Wilson, who drove the first 11 races of the season with European Minardi-Cosworth, will replace fellow rookie Antonio Pizzonia at Jaguar Racing for the rest of the season.

“To the great regret of Jaguar Racing, Antonio Pizzonia has not been able to realize his potential with the team over the past 11 races,” a Jaguar statement said. “Jaguar Racing therefore has decided that it is neither in his best interests, nor in the team’s, for Antonio to continue driving as full-time race driver at this time.”

Pizzonia was offered the role of test/reserve driver at Jaguar Racing but refused.

“The sudden decision by Jaguar Racing not to let me continue as a full time Formula One driver for the team came as a complete shock to me,” Pizzonia said. “As the season has progressed, my performances have improved.

“As has been widely reported, Jaguar has offered me a reserve driver and testing role, but I have declined this. I now have to reflect on what has happened and decide which is the best course of action for me to take. However, I fully intend to pursue my career in Formula One.”

***

New Minardi driver: Denmark’s Nicolas Kiesa, 25, has taken over Justin Wilson’s vacated seat at European Minardi-Cosworth.

Kiesa began his career in Danish, European and World Karting Championship events before graduating to Formula Ford, the British and German Formula 3 Championships, and most recently, the FIA F3000 International Championship, where he won the Monaco event this year.

“It’s a case of ‘mixed feelings’ when it comes to Justin’s departure from European Minardi,” Team Principal Paul Stoddart said. “We are obviously sad to lose him but pleased and proud that he has been able to demonstrate his undoubted driving talent at Minardi. A move to Jaguar Racing gives him the opportunity to develop his talent further and, at the same time, benefits Minardi enormously, as it helps to assure the team’s future in Formula One.

“Like Fernando Alonso and Mark Webber before him, Justin is now clearly on his way. This also clearly illustrates one of the invaluable roles that the smaller, independent teams fulfill in this sport: They are able to give young drivers the opportunity to showcase their talent and establish themselves as Grand Prix stars of the future.”

***

He’s back: Film star Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the British Grand Prix as a guest of Jaguar Racing. Schwarzenegger was in England to promote his latest film, “Terminator 3,” which made its London premier July 21.

The Jaguars carried a specially designed Terminator 3 livery. Schwarzenegger and co-star Kristanna Loken toured the pits July 20.

***

Second win: Pole winner Bjorn Wirdheim led every lap to win his second FIA International Formula 3000 race of the season here July 19. He extended his points lead over Giorgio Pantano and Vitantonio Liuzzi, who finished second and third, respectively. U.S. drivers Townsend Bell and Will Langhorne finished seventh and 13th, respectively.

With one team closing down and a reshuffling of the driver lineup at another, two other U.S. drivers have lost their F3000 rides for the season: Derek Hill, son of 1961 World Champion Phil Hill, and Phil Giebler.

***

Testing ban: No on track testing is permitted between the British Grand Prix and the Hungarian Grand Prix on Aug. 24. The six-week break is designed to give the crewmembers some time with their families in the middle of the hectic season.

***

New sponsors: Tiger Telematics have tied up a multimillion-dollar deal with Jordan Grand Prix. Jordan will carry the Gametrac logo on both of their cars for the rest of 2003 and all of 2004.

BAR has signed a long-term sponsorship deal with Chinese Internet portal SINA, an online media information service provider for China and global Chinese communities.

RUBINS BARRICHELLO WINS BRITISH GRAND PRIX

SILVERSTONE, England -- A death-defying track invasion by a kilted protestor overshadowed Rubens Barrichello's first win of the year for Ferrari at the British Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Brazilian, starting from pole, beat Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams in a thrilling and chaotic race that tightened up the title battle and plunged the Silverstone circuit owners deeper into trouble.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen was third for McLaren ahead of Ferrari's championship leader Michael Schumacher in fourth.

Five time champion Schumacher's overall lead over Raikkonen has been trimmed to seven points from eight with five races remaining.

The race was thrown into confusion on lap 12 when the protestor -- seemingly dressed as former world champion Jackie Stewart -- appeared on the track, trotting down the middle of Hangar Straight as cars roared past at about 200 kph.

Waving placards, he made a movement toward one speeding car before being tackled and dragged off course by a marshal as the safety car came out for the second time in the race.

Police arrested the 56-year-old man and charged him with "aggravated trespass." He was to be interviewed by police later on Sunday in Northampton, central England.

"Anyone who does something like that has to be really severely punished," said Mercedes motorsport boss Norbert Haug, recalling the 2000 German Grand Prix when a disgruntled former Mercedes employee walked onto the track.

"There could have been a mass pileup there and fans could have been hurt as well. Something has to be done. This simply can't happen again."

Barrichello said he had not seen the protestor while Raikkonen saw the man jump the fence but was safely past him by the time he reached the track.

Montoya was not so fortunate: "I just got straight on the radio and said 'There's this guy running on the track."

In the confusion, there was a mass of hurried pit stops and Toyota's Brazilian rookie Cristiano da Matta found himself leading a grand prix for the first time with French teammate Olivier Panis in third place.

Coulthard finished fifth, ahead of Italian Jarno Trulli for Renault, Da Matta was seventh and Briton Jenson Button took the final point for BAR after starting at the back of the field.

Ralf Schumacher, winner of the last two races for Williams, finished ninth -- the first time this season that he has failed to finish in the points.

A BMW spokesman said a piece from Briton David Coulthard's McLaren had become lodged in Ralf's radiator, sending water temperatures soaring and forcing an extra pit stop.

The protest came against a backdrop of bickering over Silverstone's future between Stewart, president of the British Racing Drivers' Club that owns Silverstone, and Formula One bosses Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone.

"The safety people will have a look at it. It means that the security wasn't good. I don't know how he actually got on, that's what we need to look at," Ecclestone said.

It was Barrichello's sixth career win and, by a remarkable coincidence, his second in a race disrupted by a track protest. The Brazilian also won at Hockenheim in 2000.

"If I tell you I never saw him, would you believe it?," he asked. "It's the second time that I win with someone on the race track. They're going to say he's Brazilian for sure."

The win was also his best reply to critics who have questioned his ability.

"In the last few weeks, people have been saying so much about first lap crashes. Okay. Shut up now," said the Brazilian, who spun at the end of the first lap of the last race in France. "I overtook a lot of people."

Michael Schumacher has 69 points, Raikkonen 62 and Montoya 55. The younger Schumacher has 53 points and Barrichello 49.

Ferrari lead the constructors championship with 118 points to Williams' 108.

RUBENS BARRICHELLO UPSTAGES TEAMMATE FOR POLE

SILVERSTONE, England -- Rubens Barrichello upstaged Ferrari teammate Michael Schumacher to win the pole position for the British Grand Prix.

He posted the fastest time in Saturday's qualifying to stop the recent dominance of Williams-BMW. Barrichello was timed in 1 minute, 21.019 seconds on 3.195-mile Silverstone circuit.

It was the second pole this season for Barrichello after the Brazilian Grand Prix in April. He has eight in his career.

Jarno Trulli of Renault was second in 1:21.38. McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, who trails Michael Schumacher in the season standings by eight points, registered 1:21.695 for third.

Ralf Schumacher of Williams-BMW was fourth and brother Michael Schumacher was fifth. Michael Schumacher, the five-time world champion, won this race last year, with Barrichello second.

This marked only the second time in the last eight sessions neither Schumacher has won the pole.

"Fifth place is not the end of the world, although it will make my life more difficult,'' Michael Schumacher said.

Ralf Schumacher struggled early in the season but had taken three of the last four poles.

"I believe we are well prepared for the race even though my qualifying result wasn't excellent, mainly due to the fact that I was struggling with the balance of my car,'' he said.

Under the new qualifying rules all the drivers have just one lap to set a time and go in reverse order from Friday's prequalifying. They cannot change tires or add fuel to the cars until the race starts.

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