Trulli Scores Toyota’s First Pole
Written by George Katinger · June 18, 2005
Jarno Trulli and team Panasonic Toyota have achieved the seemingly impossible at the beginning of the season; P1 at the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis. Is there also a victory in sight?
speedtv.com: Trulli Gives First-Ever Pole for Toyota at USGP
planet-f1.com: Qualifying: Trulli boosts Toyota with first ever pole
grandprix.com: Technical Directors meet at Indianapolis
speedtv.com: Michelin Teams in Big Trouble at Indy
planet-f1.com: Michelin runners could boycott USGP
sport.guardian.co.uk: Top teams free drivers from race orders
speedtv.com: Ralf Out, Zonta In at USGP
grandprix.com: A tyre crisis in Formula 1
pitpass.com: Briatore reacts to tyre situation
USGP at Indy - Starting lineup:
1) Jarno Trulli (ITA/Toyota/M), 1:10.625
2) Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/McLaren-Mercedes/M), 1:10.694
3) Jenson Button (ENG/BAR-Honda/M), 1:11.277
4) Giancarlo Fisichella (ITA/Renault/M), 1:11.290
5) Michael Schumacher (GER/Ferrari/B), 1:11.369
6) Fernando Alonso (SPA/Renault/M), 1:11.380
7) Rubens Barrichello (BRA/Ferrari/B), 1:11.431
8) Takuma Sato (JAP/BAR-Honda/M), 1:11.497
9) Mark Webber (AUS/Williams-BMW/M), 1:11.527
10) Felipe Massa (BRA/Sauber-Petronas/M), 1:11.555
11) Juan Pablo Montoya (COL/McLaren-Mercedes/M), 1:11.681
12) Jacques Villeneuve (CAN/Sauber-Petronas/M), 1:11.691
13) Ricardo Zonta (BRA/Toyota/M), 1:11.754
14) Christian Klien (AUT/Red Bull-Cosworth/M), 1:12.132
15) Nick Heidfeld (GER/Williams-BMW/M), 1:12.430
16) David Coulthard (SCO/Red Bull-Cosworth/M), 1:12.682
17) Tiago Monteiro (POR/Jordan-Toyota/B), 1:13.462
18) Christijan Albers (HOL/Minardi-Cosworth/B), 1:13.632
19) Narain Karthikeyan (IND/Jordan-Toyota/B), 1:13.776
20) Patrick Friesacher (AUT/Minardi-Cosworth/B), 1:14.494
Trulli may start from pole, the big question is can he hold P1 at the end of the first lap. And more importantly convert P1 into a victory. With Raikkonen besides him and the quick starting Renault’s in 4th and 6th we will see some offs in the grass at turn one. Especially when you mix in Button in 3rd and the Ferrari’s of Schumacher and Barrichello in 5th and 7th respectively. And the most intriguing story on the net, at least to me, is the news that Renault and McLaren have “released” their drivers to go hammer and tong against each other for the race win. Does this mean there were “team orders” previously in place? Isn’t that illegal? Regardless, with Juan chasing Kimi, and Fisi and Fernando having at it, what does it all mean? Probably a Schumacher win!
The biggest surprises of qualifying have to be Montoya in 11th and both Williams cars; Webber in 9th and “Quick Nick” Heidfeld in 15th. Is there any doubt BMW will be elsewhere besides Williams next year? And it won’t necessarily be BMW’s idea. Frank won’t tolerate mediocrity for long, and I think he’s about reached his limit with BMW.
The biggest story of the weekend has to be the Michelin tire concerns, after Ralf’s big shunt in practice yesterday. Michelin are air shipping new tires to the circuit, but they won’t be available until tomorrow morning. With the infamous one tire rule the Michelin runnners shouldn’t be allowed to re-shoe their cars without penalty. But when a question of general safety comes up how can you not allow a change of tires prior to the start of the race? I think it will be allowed, and to make it fair for Ferrari they will be given the same opportunity. New tires, which will still have to last the entire race.
With the tire crises and not knowing what the Michelin shod teams will be allowed to do, it’s nearly impossible to predict an outcome. If the starting order remains and there are no penalties incurred for tire changes or boycotts, my call is Fernando, Michael and Kimi as 1, 2 and 3.
Here’s hoping we have a quality race and the one tire rule doesn’t take it’s toll yet again.
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15 Responses to “Trulli Scores Toyota’s First Pole”
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Another option to the tire delimma may be to start the race on their qualifying tires and allow all the cars one change of rubber, at their choice of time. That would seem to be a fair option, even though the Michelin cars may be running a slight risk.
I tend to like your last option George. Given the FIA’s reticence on anything that closely resembles skirting a rule, they could start the race under the Safety Car, allow everyone, including the Bridgestone runners (not that they would take it), the chance to enter the pits and change tyres.
I had to take a sideways swipe at the NASCAR fans on my post. They’re all up in arms about Goodyear and many are calling for a tire war to start by allowing another brand into NASCAR.
Sorry, been there, done that, as Mark Martin said at the time “they’re trying to kill us!”
i have a few thoughts.
1st it was only toyota that had tyre failures and only one happened in turn 13… weird that its a “huge safty concern”
2nd it has been set that from 2008 on there will be only 1 tyre manufacturer in F1 and they will go back to slick tyres! ABOUT TIME!
3rd i say let the teams change tyres if they want but they must sufer the same penilty as changing a engine.
if they can PROVE it is a safty issue than the F1 regs state the tyres can be changed without penilty.
4th toyota being on pole is a byproduct of the circuis that was pratice + horse power+ almost no fuel(expecting a very fast pitstop to change tyres)= P1 for the race.
on the bmw/williams debate.. i disagree with you.
i dont see the bmw powerplant lacking on bhp or reliabilty much at all.
in my yes the problem lies 100% on williams.
i expect bmw to buy the sauber team out. as sauber has lost the ferrari engine next year.
the question becomes, what powerplant will frank use next year.
how fair is this one tyre rule? bridgestone compromised speed with safety, whereas michelin focused more on speed. now bridgestone teams get penalized somewhat just so the marketing value of the usgp can go through? if the michelin can’t follow all the rules and provide safe tyres (supposedly a priority), then too bad, they ought to withdraw from the race. else they should be penalized. no sympathy should be given at all.
Any news on if Cosworth is going to come up with a V8 for next year?
And did any other market in the US screw up and schedule both the USGP and GI Joes to conflict? Yeah, the Tivo’s really confused and wanted to record the USGP on friday! I can’t wait that long!
BOYCOTT MICHELIN FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS THE SADIST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN AS A RACE FAN
THIS FALLS 100% ON MICHELIN!!!
THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME F1 RUNS IN INDY FOR SURE AND IM GUESSING IN AMERICAN.
For those of you that have missed the news - Michellin reported early Sunday morning that their tires were not safe to fun the race. They were able to duplicate the failures in their labs and determined that the plane load of new tires (from I believe Barcelona ) had the same problem.
FIA Max Mosley and Charlie Whiting felt that they needed to stick to the rules and refused to allow track changes to accomodate Michellin’s tires (that would have been unfair to Bridgestone)
I guess I can go watch the Champ Car race now.
This is a dark day for F1 in the US. I almost feel like saying “Good Riddance.”
It’s also important to know that attempts to adjust tire pressure to get it to work were unsuccessful. Adrian Newey reported that upping the pressure delayed problems but they still occurred in as few as 10 laps. The tires were dangerous.
One last note - I promise - I believe Derek Daily brought up the question of the new resurfacing of the main track. This MAY have some impact on the tires and may have come to surprise to everyone.
(and Firestone engineers may have been able to give Bridgestone some warning as to the affects of the changes…)
I’m sure we’ll learn more over the next couple of weeks.
Will Indy host? Will there even be a US GP? Just some of the questions - I’m sure that if it’s at Indy, it’ll have to include free tickets!
IMS NEEDS TO TAKE THE FIA TO COURT FOR TOTAL REPAYMENT OF ALL FEES FOR THE RACE AND REFUND OF ALL TICKETS SOLD FOR THE RACE AND PROMOTION OF THE RACE.
IT IS UP TO THE FIA TO DECIDE WEITHER TO PASS THESE FEES ON TO MICHELIN!
HEARING THAT BEARNIE LEFT THE TRACK WAY BEFORE THE END OF THE RACE WAS A CLASSLESS MOVE!
ALL THE GLAMOUR OF F1 IS FOREVER TAKEN AWAY BY TODAYS ACTIONS.
THE ONE GROUP LEFT OUT IN THE DARK ARE THE FANS THAT PAID HUNDEREDS OF DOLLARS TO ATTEND THE RACE AND THEN HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON.
TOM CARNEGIE ANOUNNCED TO THE FACES AT THE TRACK ON LAP 3 THAT THE RACE WAS NOT GOING TO BE A OFFICIAL RACE, THERE FOR MAKING THE FANS BELIEVE THEY WERE PAYING TO WATCH A TYRE TEST!
MICHELIN PUTTING THEIR TEAMS OUT FOR THE FORMATION LAP THEN PITTING THEM WITHOUT RUNNING A SINGLE LAP WAS A HUGE SLAP IN THE FACE OF THE FANS. IM SURE IT WAS DONE SO THE FANS COULDNT BOO THEM DURING THE PRE-RACE ACTIVITIES.
AS I PREDICTED YESTERDAY IN THIS THREAD THE POLE-CAR DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH FUEL TO RUN EVEN 3 LAPS OF PRACTICE TO TEST THE “CHICANE ANSWER”.
SO THE POLE WIN WAS A TOTAL JOKE AND A BLACK-EYE AGAINST TOYOTA IN HISTORY. IT ALSO SHOWED A PRE-KNOWLEDGE THAT MICHELIN WOULD NOT BE RUNNING TODAY!
THE FIA GAVE MICHELIN TEAMS SEVERAL CHOICES TO REMEDY THEIR TOTAL LACK OF PREPERATION FOR THE RACE. http://www.formula1.com/race/news/3197/740.html
FROM WHAT I GATHER THEY HAD THE CHOICE TO STOP ON LAP ONE AND PUT ON BRIDGESTONE!!! TYRES.
TAKE THE PENILTY AND AT LEAST GIVE THE FANS A RACE TO WATCH!
REMEMBER THAT IT IS THE FANS THAT MAKE GRAND PRIX RACING WHAT IT IS AND THE SHELFISNESS AND GREED OF THE POLITICAL ELEITE OF F1 THAT SPIT IN THE FACE OF THOSE SAME FANS. THAT BERNIE CALLED OUT IMS FOR NOT PROMOTING THE RACE ENOUGH THEN GIVING THE FACES THAT SHOWED UP A TOTAL JOKE OF A RACE THEN LEAVING EARLY HIMSELF IS A TESTEMENT TO HIS TOTAL DELUSSION OF HIS PLACE IN THE WORLD AT LARGE.
IN FACT I REMEMBER READDING THAT FOR THE 1ST USGP BERNIE STAYED IN A HOTEL IN CHACAGO BECAUSE ‘THERE WASNT ANY HOTELS IN INDY NICE ENOUGH FOR HIM’
I CAN SEE NO WAY F1 WILL BE WELCOME BACK IN INDY OR AMERICA AT LARGE AND SOMEDAY F1 MIGHT WAKE UP AND REALIZE THEY CUT OFF ALL RESPECT FROM THE LARGEST MARKET IN THE WORLD!
FANS IN AMERICA ARE NOT CAPTIVE AUDIANCES AS THE ARE IN OTHER COUNTRIES. THERE ARE MORE THAN 50 EVENTS EACH WEEK-END THAT AMERICANS HAVE THE CHOICE TO SPEND OUR MONEY ON. I FOR ONE WILL NEVER PUT ANOTHER CENT IN THE POCKET OF THE FIA FOM OR MICHELIN TYRE!
IT IS IRONIC THAT THE FRENCH FEED WAS CUT OFF 1/3 OF THE WAY INTO THE RACE SO THEY DIDNT GET TO SEE THE REACTION OF THE JOKE THEIR NATIONAL TYRE MANUFACTUER BROUGHT TO THEM. OR MAYBE IT WAS A MOVE TO HELP SELL OUT THE NEXT RACE IN TWO WEEKS THAT WILL BE HELD IN….FRANCE!
I’M MORE THAN UPSET AND DISGUSTED.
I FOR ONE WILL BE SPENDING MY MONEY AT THE CART RACE IN CLEVELAND NEXT WEEK-END!
F1 has demonstrated their total disrespect for its racing fans that foot the bill for their fiascos’. Their pompous attitude has likely meant the death of F1 racing in the United States and likely the America’s. This would have never happened in NASCAR, Champ Car or IRL, or any other racing league; they would have found a solution. Racing in a vacuum with no paid attendance, no TV contracts and no sponsors doesn’t pay for their million dollar life styles.
Ken Gregoire, Toronto, Ontario Canada.
Max Mosley and Bernie Eccelstone seem to be determined to kill formula 1. They have done everything in their power to take away the competitiveness, the edge, the superiority and the eliteness from the sport. In their determination to destroy F1 - once the pinnacle of racing, which it could now hardly be called - they have introduced these new tyre regulations which have repeatedly resulted in UNSAFE racing conditions. Only 3 races ago at Nuremburg, Kimi had a massive accident and was lucky to esacape unscathed. Mark Webber after that race commented that the current tyre restrictions had resulted in an unsafe racing situation. F1 teams and the FIA have spent YEARS developing racing to the point that it is now (or at least was) incredibly safe. There has not been a fatality in F1 for over a decade, and yet the FIA, Bernie and CHarlie (WHiting) were totally prepared to have 14 cars on the track today which may have caused or had a devastating accident. Ralf had already had an incredibly dangerous accident in practice, and was lucky to be so unhurt. The Michelin runners had said that they were more than happy to race for NO POINTS, thus guaranteeing the advantage of the Bridgestone runners and ensuring an exciting specatacle for F1 fans - both at Indy and at home - but Max and his cronies were totally unprepared to do the ONE THING that would have made this a safe situation. Yes, the first blame must of course go to Michelin, but this situation could have been resolved; a mature solution could have been found that would have pleased all parties. Instead they chose to present a race to the fans that consisted of 6 cars. I am truly sad to say that this will likely be the beginning of the end for F1. Either Max Mosley and Bernie Eccelstone resign their positions of killing F1, or the 9 teams (obviously not including the FIA’s lapdog Ferrari) will leave F1 and start the GPWC. It’s not difficult to see that the true motorsport fans will watch this new championship - it will be real racing, real technology and innovation and will be run by the teams and the competitors, not by a group of bureaucratic anti-competition cronies interested only in lining their own already very well lined pockets!!! And really, would you want to watch an F1 race that had only the two Ferraris in it?!!! I would like to finish this rant by reiterating - Mosley and Eccelstone MUST resign, and F1 must return to the roots of good motorsport. It is, after all, about RACING.
Now I have one last comment…
Congratulations Christiano!