Confident Michelin will be competitiveDefending World Champion
Fernando Alonso has backed Formula One to bounce back from last year's United States Grand Prix sham by putting on a public spectacle this weekend.
Last year's chaotic race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
saw a mass boycott of seven teams over Michelin safety issues - leaving just six Bridgestone-shod cars to take the start.
That sparked mass protests from the 125,000 angry fans, who jeered drivers and hurled bottles at the cars, and threatened to leave the future of Formula One in the US in tatters.
But Alonso thinks Formula One can repair the damage this time around.
“The fans are pretty enthusiastic about this year's race after what happened last year," he said. "Everyone is expecting a good show - we will put on a good show. We all want to go on the track and enjoy the weekend."
The aftermath of last year's race saw the seven rebel teams - including Renault - and their French tyre supplier Michelin hauled in front of the FIA on disrepute charges.
These were eventually settled with Michelin handing over a huge compensation package to teams and race organisers. With tyres no longer required to last a full race distance, as was the case last year, a repeat fiasco is highly unlikely.
Alonso believes Michelin will not be taking it easy this year as they search for their first win at Indianapolis since 1912.
"I am 100 percent sure we will not have the same problem but we cannot be conservative at this time of the championship and the teams will not allow Michelin to be conservative."
Alonso, who has never finished at the legendary 'Brickyard' stopped short of predicting a fifth straight win for him this season, even though the track shares many similarities with Montreal - where he dominated last weekend.
"Indy is for sure the most difficult race in all the championship for us. The car was never competitive here. We don't know why but we hope that this year changes," he added. "In 2006 we have been competitive everywhere so we could be competitive here, but we have some doubts.”
"I have never crossed the line so hopefully this one will be a good one."
Source AFP
