US Grand Prix – Indianapolis, 2nd July 2006
Michael Schumacher: 1st 1:34:35.199 73 laps
chassis 254
Felipe Massa: 2nd + 7.984 73 laps chassis
252
Temperatures: air 35/37 °C, track 43/49
°C
Third win and first one-two finish of the season for Scuderia
Ferrari Marlboro. This is the twelfth win for the Prancing
Horse in a Grand Prix held in the United States, the sixth
at Indianapolis, number 186 from 733 races. For Michael Schumacher
this is his eighty seventh win from 242 Grand Prix starts,
the fifth at this circuit.
Jean Todt: “We have been dreaming
of a result like this for a while now and finally it has come.
After an extraordinary qualifying yesterday, we knew that
if all the pieces of the jigsaw – reliability, consistent
performance from the Bridgestone tyres, the work of the drivers
and the team – fitted together, we were capable of getting
the job done and that’s what happened. After the strange
2005 race, run in circumstances that we don’t want to
go over again and won by Ferrari on a Technical Knock Out,
today we repeated the result by being superior to all our
rivals. This is the best possible start to the second half
of the season and a one-two finish is a further encouragement
to tackle the eight remaining races in the best possible way.”
Michael Schumacher: “I am very happy!
It was a great weekend: first with Germany in the semi-final,
then Italy, pole position yesterday and now this great victory
today! We had prepared very well for these last two races,
but for some reason, in Canada we were unable to demonstrate
that fact. Here however, we have been strong since the start
of free practice on Friday, in part due to the Bridgestone
tyres. We have made up six points which are important for
the championships and we want to keep moving forward this
way, fighting, pushing to the maximum and trying to win every
time! Now we go back to Europe where we will try and continue
to fight back. I want to thank the whole team who did a marvellous
job!”
Felipe Massa: “It was a fantastic
race for us, in which we showed that the championship is not
yet over. The team has done an incredible job this weekend.
Everything worked well, especially the Bridgestone tyres.
The start went very, very well for me and I managed to pass
Michael. I had a very strong first stint, but he managed to
pass me during the first pit stop, when I had a clutch problem
which slowed me, but I was still motivated to fight hard for
second place to give the team the maximum number of points
from this race. First and second is a fantastic day for us
and an important day in my career.”
Ross Brawn: “Everything went to plan
today. It all felt good, especially on the tyre front, from
the first day when they already delivered the grip we needed.
We had seen some tyre graining at first, but this disappeared
in the race. In fact the Bridgestone tyres were perfect and
they allowed us to have an easy weekend and an easy race.
The team and drivers did a great job. Put all those elements
together and you get a performance like the one we saw today.
We had a few races where it went the wrong way and today the
momentum came back to us in a substantial way. I was surprised
at the gap to the Renaults, but I don’t think this is
an indication for the future. I think the remaining races
will be much closer. Now we have to keep the impetus going:
in Magny-Cours, good tyres will once again be important and
we will also have some improvements to the car that I am optimistic
about.”
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