IMS Spanish Grand Prix postscript

2006 SPANISH GRAND PRIX POSTSCRIPT
Coulthard reaches 200 starts; Hollywood star Wilson enjoys F1 grid

INDIANAPOLIS, Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - Scotland's David Coulthard competed in his 200th Grand Prix on May 14 in Spain. He made his F1 debut at the same track in 1994.

He has won 13 times, led 60 races and stood on 60 podiums, including a pair of third places in the 2001 and 2002 United States Grands Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He also set 18 fastest race laps, won 12 poles and earned 500 points, which is fourth on the all time points scorer list. He finished second in championship in 2001 and third four times.

"People will always talk about what might have been," Coulthard said, "but I can feel confident when I walk into the paddock knowing that there are only a few guys on the grid that have, or ever will, come close to achieving what I have."

***

Actor Wilson in Spain: Actor Owen Wilson attended the Spanish Grand Prix and enjoyed the whole Formula One experience.

Wilson has starred in many recent Hollywood comedies, including "Wedding Crashers," "Meet the Fockers" and "Shanghai Knights."

"I never realized that there was so much technology in Formula One," Wilson said while walking around the starting grid before the start of the race.

Wilson's voice is featured in the new Pixar/Disney animated racing movie, "Cars," that also stars the voices of four-time United States Grand Prix winner Michael Schumacher, 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Richard Petty and Paul Newman.

***

North American F1 double-header: There are only two more F1 races in Europe - Monaco on May 28 and Great Britain on June 11 - before the North American F1 double-header consisting of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on June 25 and the United States Grand Prix on July 2 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

***

Toro Rossos fail to finish: For the first time this season, the Scuderia Toro Rosso cars of California's Scott Speed and Italy's Vitantonio Liuzzi failed to finish a Grand Prix.

"Scott had an engine failure, and Tonio had a hydraulic problem," team co-owner Gerhard Berger said.

***

McLaren's 2007 driver lineup near: McLaren-Mercedes is close to confirming its 2007 driver lineup. World Champion Fernando Alonso has signed for next season, but McLaren has yet to reveal his teammate or test driver for 2007.

"We have a very firm plan now," team principal Ron Dennis said. "We know exactly what we are doing as a team. We are going to start to make decisions, and they will unfold over the next two or three weeks."

***

100 wins: Fernando Alonso's victory in the Spanish Grand Prix marked the 100th win for the combination of Renault and Elf fuel. Jean-Pierre Jabouille earned the first win for the combo in the 1979 French Grand Prix.

***

GP2 action: Alexandre Premat tipped teammate and race leader Lewis Hamilton into a spin and went by to win the first of two GP2 races staged during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend. Hamilton finished second while Michael Ammermueller took third.

Ernesto Viso won the second race ahead of Nelson Piquet Jr. and Premat.

***

New sponsor: BMW Sauber has signed DuPont as supplier/sponsor.

The Delaware-based company is best known in American motorsports as the longtime title sponsor of the Chevrolet driven by four-time Allstate 400 at the Brickyard winner Jeff Gordon.

***

Next event: The next race on the schedule is the Monaco Grand Prix on May 28. The United States Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, round 10 of 18, will take place July 2.

***

2006 USGP tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 2006 United States Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, July 2.

Fans can order tickets online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or at the ticket office at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Parking and camping information also can be obtained through the ticket office.

Hours for phone orders and the ticket office are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (EST) Monday-Friday, while online orders can be made at any time.

-ims-