UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX SUNDAY
Indianapolis, Sunday 2nd July 2006
Kimi Raikkonen MP4-21 03
Juan Pablo Montoya MP4-21 05
T-car (Kimi) MP4-21 04
Team McLaren Mercedes drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo
Montoya both failed to finish today's United States Grand
Prix after an incident in the second corner of the opening
lap. Both cars were on one-stop strategies which the team
considered the best option strategy wise.
KIMI RAIKKONEN
"I made a really good start and was quick off the line.
However things got messy at the second corner and Juan Pablo
hit me from behind and that was the end of the race. There
is no point in blaming anyone as these sort of things happen
in racing and especially when you are not at the front. As
a team we will now get over the disappointment of today's
result and focus on the next race."
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
"When you start so far back you have to race hard to
make up places. Unfortunately it was pretty tight at the start
and as everybody braked for the second corner I was being
squeezed by one of the Hondas and regrettably I hit Kimi.
I'm obviously really upset for the team who have worked so
hard the whole weekend as having both cars out on the opening
lap is disastrous."
RON DENNIS
"We have looked at our data and the footage from various
cameras and it's clear that as is often the case with accidents
several things happened in close sequence. Heidfeld heavily
squeezed Button, who squeezed Juan Pablo. Prior to those cars
touching Juan Pablo ran into the back of Kimi who was making
every effort to keep out of trouble. Inevitably the team feels
intense frustration and disappointment when its cars are eliminated
as a result of touching each other. However this was a racing
incident and should be treated as such."
NORBERT HAUG
"To lose both cars at the second corner is obviously
a nightmare. Sorry to all the spectators and team members,
we all would have loved to contribute to a good race. We will
be testing next week in Jerez in Spain to get focused for
the French Grand Prix."
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