INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, 19 June 2004 — World champion Michael Schumacher promised no end to the torment for his Formula One rivals, as he hungered after an eighth win of the season at famed Indianapolis Speedway tomorrow.
The six-time champion notched up another win last weekend with an awesome display in Montreal, and hopes to grind his challengers’ dreams into the dust of the famed brickyard circuit — the spiritual home of US motorsport.
“We hope to notch another win,” Schumacher said. “Make no mistake: We want to go for victory, and we will be competitive. I have said it often enough, but I think we are going into Indianapolis with a good chance.”
Despite starting from sixth on the grid in Montreal, Schumacher capitalized on his superior car, and outwitted his rivals in race strategy.
He led teammate Rubens Barrichello home in another Ferrari one-two, after brother Ralf, who originally placed second, was disqualified when his Williams was found to have breached technical regulations. And Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn Thursday had a morale-sapping warning for the rest of Formula One — his No. 1 driver is still hungry for more.
“Michael’s got huge enthusiasm this year, as enthusiastic as I’ve ever seen him, which is uncanny for the time he’s been in Formula One.”
Brawn pointed to Schumacher’s fury after he crashed out of the Monaco Grand Prix last month in a bizarre accident also involving Juan Pablo Montoya’s Williams while under the safety car.
The German ace has won twice here since the Grand Prix circus returned to the United States four years ago and now he wants a hat trick.
Schumacher leads Barrichello in the championship by 16 points with Jenson Button 10 points further back in his BAR.
Ralf Schumacher and his Williams team were still licking their wounds as they pitched up here Thursday after having a podium finish snatched away in Montreal. Ralf Schumacher who was second and teammate Montoya, fifth, were disqualified as were the Toyotas of Cristiano da Matta and Olivier Panis, eighth and 10th respectively, after FIA race commissioners judged that the brake ducts on the four cars were illegal.
