Tyre row means GP may be non-championship

Today’s United States Grand Prix could be run as a non-championship race unless Ferrari agree to the installation of a chicane into Indianapolis’ final turn.

Nine of the 10 teams have agreed for a chicane to be introduced into the final corner, which is causing problems for Michelin tyres.

Ralf Schumacher crashed his Toyota heavily into the wall on Friday after a tyre failure and Michelin have warned their teams it is not safe to race unless the high-speed banked corner is altered.

Team principals met with Formula One commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone and track president Tony George today, with the gathering concluding just 90 minutes before the scheduled start of the race.

All seven Michelin teams plus Bridgestone runners Minardi and Jordan have agreed to the use of a chicane to slow the cars but Ferrari are holding out.

Team bosses confirmed afterwards that they will not run unless the track is altered and revealed a non-points-scoring race – without Ferrari – could be run on a modified track.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner said: “We can’t run this tyre on the high-speed banking so therefore there needs to be a reduction in speeds around that turn.”

On the possibility of Ferrari refusing to agree, he added: “It would have to be a non-championship race. It has been discussed.”

Williams technical director Sam Michael added: “The only solution is to have the chicane in to slow the speeds in turn 12. In that situation Michelin will approve the tyres for the race, we will not get their approval otherwise.

“Nine teams want to have the chicane. At the moment it looks like it will be non-championship.

“We will be ready to go out of the pit lane at 12.30 with our two cars as will the other nine cars. If there’s no chicane no one will go from the pit lane.

“It’s only down to Ferrari. What we offered as the nine teams is that Ferrari take up the front row, all the Bridgestone teams take the top six and all the Michelin teams form in order behind and that wasn’t accepted.

“That was our only solution as a penalty for us asking for a chicane. They could take up the top six grid positions and it would be a full championship race. But that wasn’t accepted.”