Wikipedia:Today's featured article/June 19, 2015

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Michael Schumacher, winner of the 2005 United States Grand Prix

The 2005 United States Grand Prix was the ninth race and only American race of the 2005 Formula One season. Held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it was won by Ferrari's Michael Schumacher (pictured). In the days before the race, several Michelin tyres suffered failures on the speedway's resurfaced track. Michelin advised its seven customer teams (representing 14 cars in the race) that without a reduction in speed in the last turn of the speedway, the tyres provided for the race would only be safe for 10 laps—but Formula One rules in 2005 prohibited tyre changes during the race. Unable to come to a compromise with the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, the Michelin teams decided not to participate. They completed the parade lap to avoid sanctions, but retired to the pits before the race started; only the six cars from teams using Bridgestone tyres (Ferrari, Jordan and Minardi) competed. The race generated negative publicity for the sport, especially in the US, a market in which Formula One had struggled to establish itself over the preceding 20 years. (Full article...)

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