INDIANAPOLIS

Track length: 4.192 km

Number of laps: 73 (306.016 Km)

Best lap: M. Schumacher - 1'11''473
(2003, Ferrari)

Record Pole: M. Schumacher - 1'10''790
(2002, Ferrari)

2003 Pole: K. Raikkonen - 1'11''670 (McLaren)

2003 Podium
1. M. Schumacher
2. K. Raikkonen
3. H. Frentzen

Prior to the 2000 event, the last time a Formula One Grand Prix was held in the United States of America was back in 1991 when it was held in Phoenix. The late great Ayrton Senna claimed victory in his McLaren on the 81 lap long circuit.

The year 2000 saw the F1 circus return to America as they took to the revamped Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The circuit was constructed from the famous oval that plays host to the NASCAR Brickyard race and the Indy 500 and the new layout is now just over 4 kilometres in length.

In the beginning of the Formula One World Championship the Indy 500 counted to the drivers overall placings in the drivers' title, but this came to an end after Jim Clark and Graham Hill won back-to-back Indy 500s for the Lotus team.

The new circuit utilised the existing oval including the main straight and turn one, the cars running in clockwise direction. Additional sections were constructed in the infield to create the type of circuit the F1 cars are used to driving on.

In a race that was completely new to all 22 drivers, Ferrari driver, Michael Schumacher dominated the event from start to finish. He led home a Ferrari one two for the first time on the new circuit, continuing his domination from early in the season. Up until this race, McLaren driver, David Coulthard was still in with a chance of victory, however he was taken out of contention and was forced to watch his dreams of taking the drivers championship vanish.

2001 was double world champion Mika Hakkinen's final victory before he retired, thrilling the American fans with his special finesse after weeks of sadness due to the tragic terrorist attacks earlier in the month. In 2002 Michael Schumacher dominated the weekend from start to, almost, finish, the Ferrari star slowing down on the final lap so that teammate Rubens Barrichello could catch up and the duo could cross the line with the smallest ever margin. The attempt failed and Barrichello crossed the line first by a fraction of a second.

The 2003 race definitely began in Kimi Raikkonen's favour as he stormed away from the rest of the field having started from pole position. The rain, though, was not greeted with smiles by the Michelin runners, who saw their advantage over the Bridgestone runners dissipate. As the laps wore down Montoya watched his Championship dream die (he retired after colliding with Barrichello) while Raikkonen saw his strength, but it was Michael who had the biggest smile as he crossed the line to clinch another victory.