F1: Doubts persist about US Grand Prix

The United States F1 GP still hangs in the balance despite world champion Michael Schumacher stating that he would take part in the race.

The Ferrari driver dismissed reports that he would pull out of the race but his decision could be made redundant by events on a worldwide scale.

The decision could be taken out of the hands of the organisers of the Indianapolis race in the next few days if the United States launch retaliatory strikes and possibly close off all their airports as they did in the wake of last week’s atrocities.

Motor sport chiefs could also risk having the whole of the F1 roadshow - hundreds of drivers, mechanics, engineers, marketing staff, journalists and television crews - stranded in Indianapolis if the airports were again suddenly closed down.

That could put at risk the final race in Japan on October 14 if the nine jumbos or wide-bodied planes that are needed just to carry the digital television equipment and the cars cannot get out of North America and on to Suzuka.

The final decision is likely to be made in the next couple of days and it is understood FIA are meeting with representatives of the Indianapolis organisers today.

The teams need to be told quickly to give them enough time to get their cars and other equipment ready by Friday to be cargoed out to Indianapolis.

The thousands of tonnes of monocoques, engines, wings and other machinery first have to be taken to Amsterdam and Luxembourg as they are the only airports with facilities to scan the cargo in bulk.

Much of that equipment was still on its way back from Italy today with the majority of teams like Williams, Benetton, McLaren and Jordan facing long journeys to their British factories.

Then staff have a race against time to unpack the equipment from the trucks, check it then repack it in the cargo boxes.

Despite the problems still facing the race Schumacher insisted he would compete on Sunday week having been warned he could risk being stripped of his world title.

The German had been given the option by his Ferrari team of not competing at Indianapolis amid the uncertainty following last week’s terrorist attacks and the likelihood of an imminent American response.

But Schumacher, who wrapped up his fourth world title in Hungary last month, was told by Formula One ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone that playing safe and staying at home could put his drivers’ crown at risk.

Schumacher headed off any thoughts of him losing the championship in such controversial circumstances by confirming that if the race did go ahead then he would be there.

‘‘I’ve heard about these rumours but I am not thinking at all about not driving there at the moment,’’ said Schumacher.

Ecclestone had upped the ante in the debate raging in Formula One about next week’s race by saying before Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix that Schumacher could be docked points and lose the title.

‘‘Let’s get one thing straight, Michael Schumacher is not yet the 2001 world champion,’’ Ecclestone has been quoted as saying.

‘‘Anything could happen. Maybe he could lose his points over one of the next three races. I’m sure that won’t be the case, but it could be.’’

It would seem unlikely that even Ecclestone would move to strip Schumacher of the title given his domination of the championship this season or whether it was in the rules anyway.

The 32-year-old has won eight of the 15 races and with just the US and Japan left if they go ahead is a massive 50 points ahead of second-placed Scotsman David Coulthard of McLaren.

Schumacher was asked if he wanted to miss Sunday’s race which should have been a glorious celebration in front of the tifosi, Ferrari’s fanatical fans because of his state of mind having clearly been deeply affected by the events in North America.

‘‘Michael was very disheartened when he arrived here,’’ said Ferrari’s sporting director Jean Todt at Monza.

‘‘I asked him if he felt like competing in this race or if he would prefer to stop.

‘‘At Monza, he wanted to do it, but following this we will decide and respect his opinion. It is he who drives and he who needs to say if he feels like doing it.’’

If Schumacher does pull out Luca Badoer would replace him it could see other drivers follow suit, and team-mate Rubens Barrichello said after finishing second on Sunday that he would want assurances it was safe to go.

Although the events in Monza suggested some drivers would face the sack, with Benetton boss Flavio Briatore ordering his duo of Jenson Button and Giancarlo Fisichella not to agree to a non-overtaking pact among the field or risk seeking new employment.

Schumacher, a father of two young children, is - like many others in the sport including brother Ralf - understandably fearful about going to a country that has declared itself at war with terrorism following the attacks on New York and Washington a week ago.

Ecclestone and Max Mosley, president of motor sport’s world governing body FIA, insisted over the weekend that the penultimate race of the season would go ahead.

But calls for this year’s event to be scrapped will only be increased following the decision to postpone golf’s Ryder Cup for a year.

Many drivers, team chiefs and other F1 personnel have said they do not want to go although the sport appears to be split on the issue with others, like Juan Pablo Montoya, saying they are prepared to make the trip.

Several do not want to go racing - especially with the outcome of the drivers’ and constructors’ championships having already been decided - while rescuers are still recovering bodies from the rubble of the World Trade Centre and when funerals of the over 5000 people who died are being held.

Jaguar racing boss Niki Lauda, the three-time former world champion and former airline chief, added his voice to those against the race going ahead.

‘‘Personally I don’t think we should go,’’ said the Austrian.

‘‘But it’s not my decision. We have a contractual commitment to Indianapolis and the race could only be cancelled if the organisers there wanted.’’

Those who believe the race should be staged will have been boosted by the resumption of baseball in America - although there will be stringent security around stadia.