Villeneuve Predicts Sunday Thriller; M. Schumacher Is
Easy Rider
By Dan Knutson
usgpindy.com
Friday, June 17, 2005
Jacques Villeneuve, winner of the 1995 Indianapolis 500 and the
1997 World Championship, predicts that Sundays United States Grand
Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be an exciting race
for the fans and drivers.
It is always a fun race here, he said. There is always a lot of
action in the race, so I am definitely looking forward to
it.
Villeneuve is enjoying the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of the
F1 paddock area at Indianapolis.
Here at Indy, it is one of the most relaxed paddocks that we go
to, he said. There is a lot of space, and after the hectic
weekend of Montreal, here feels really relaxed. Canada was great. I
had a great time in Canada even though there were some hectic
moments with the media.
***
Easy rider: Three-time United States Grand Prix winner Michael
Schumacher went for a motorcycle tour with friends between the F1
races in Montreal and Indianapolis. Their ride took them from
Asheville, N.C., up to Indianapolis.
You have great spots country-wise, he said of the U.S. We stayed
in this Blue Ridge Parkway area. We spent about one and a half days
there. Then we went to Dealers Point; we did this run. And that
was just awesome. You have so many beautiful places to experience,
and having the chance to come here to race, I obviously want to
take the opportunity and see the country.
Schumacher, who rides a Harley-Davidson and always wears a helmet,
enjoys the freedom that motorcycles give him.
I love biking, particularly because you just feel so free, he
said. You get the air, you feel like youre in the open sky. Its
like (scuba) diving in a way. Thats on the opposite side, youre
in the water, you glide, and you feel a bit like flying.
***
Hard riding: BMW WilliamsF1 Team driver Mark Webber and Red Bull
Racing driver Christian Klien visited the Trek bicycle factory in
Madison, Wis., on the way to Indianapolis. They met up with Tom
Danielson (winner of the Tour de Georgia) and Michael Creed, who
are two members of Lance Armstrongs Discovery Channel cycling
team, discussed various aspects of both their sports and went on
some tough training rides.
It was very windy, which made it quite hard to ride, Webber said.
We had a reasonable size group of riders and did over 200 km (120
miles.)
***
Schumacher enjoys fans welcome: Michael Schumacher enjoys visiting
Indianapolis and the enthusiasm of the F1 fans here.
I very much like coming to this motorsport city, because I dont
think there are many races that draw this many fans, he said.
Sometimes you get the impression that all Europeans living in the
U.S.A. gather for this event. We always receive a rapturous
welcome, and sometimes the enthusiasm is even bigger than at some
of the European races.
***
