2003 US GP set for Sept 26-28

2003 U.S. GRAND PRIX DATE OFFICIALLY SET FOR SEPT. 26-28

The FIA World Motor Sport Council announced this week that the 2003 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will take place Sunday, Sept. 28.

Practice and qualifying will take place Sept. 26 and 27, respectively.

The 2003 USGP at Indianapolis, the fourth running of the event on the Speedway's 2.606-mile road course, occupies the same weekend in September as it has since 2001 and will be the second-to-last Formula One event of the year.

The 2003 Formula One schedule includes the same 17 venues as this year, with the season starting March 9 at Melbourne, Australia, with the Australian Grand Prix, and ending Oct. 12 at Suzuka, Japan, with the Japanese Grand Prix.

Several modifications were made to the schedule for 2003: the French Grand Prix will take place two weeks before the British GP, which this year preceded the French race. Drivers and teams still will have a three-week break between the German GP and the Hungarian GP.

But there will be only one week between the European GP at Nurburg, Germany, and the French GP, and one week between the Hungarian GP and the Belgian GP. All other races are two weeks apart.

Tickets for the 2003 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis are on sale, and the IMS ticket office encourages customers to place orders early to ensure the best possible opportunity to acquire good seats.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.imstix.com, or by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area. Parking and camping information also can be obtained through the ticket office.

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