INDIANAPOLIS, Friday, Sept. 5, 2003 – “It is going to be quite an exciting end to the season,” Juan Pablo Montoya said of this year’s FIA Formula One World Championship.

Exciting indeed. With just three races to go, including the United States Grand Prix on Sept. 28 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, only two points separate the top three drivers in the championship.

Michael Schumacher leads with 72 points, followed by Montoya with 71 and Kimi Raikkonen with 70.

The next round is the Italian Grand Prix on Sept. 14 at Monza. It’s possible that Montoya (Williams-BMW) or Raikkonen (West McLaren-Mercedes) could take over the championship lead from Schumacher on Ferrari’s home ground at Monza.

“I don’t care where I pass him,” 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner Montoya said of Schumacher. “He has to win the championship; we have to work for it. We are only one point away, and if we can finish ahead of him in the next race, then we are going to be leading the championship, but we have to wait to see where Kimi ends up and everything.”

Raikkonen feels the same way.

“I guess it doesn’t matter where you pass him in the points as long as you can do it,” Raikkonen said. “That is the main thing.

“Anything can happen now. Hopefully we can have some new parts for the car because it is basically the same as the start of the season, and we need to get something new now. We will get a new aero package for the next test, and hopefully it will work out in the next race.”

After the Italian and United States Grands Prix, the season ends with the Japanese Grand Prix on Oct. 12.

“I think Indianapolis should be pretty good for us,” Raikkonen said. “Monza last year was quite difficult, but we should get some new parts for the car, a new engine also, and hopefully we can be stronger there.”

A victory in the United States Grand Prix would make Montoya the first driver to win both the 500 and the Grand Prix at Indianapolis. He’s confident that Williams-BMW will perform well against Ferrari at Monza and Indianapolis.

“In the last two years, we have been really strong in Monza,” Montoya said. “It can be a good circuit for us, but it can be good for Ferrari, as well. I think Indy is a track where we can really beat them. In Japan, they have been very strong in the last few years, but on tracks like that we have been quick, so in Japan it is going to be a close race.”

Montoya’s strategy for the final races is to charge hard.

“You’ve got to push,” Montoya said. “You have got to make sure you push. Michael has been pretty aggressive in racing.”

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USGP tickets: 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.indianapolismotorspeedway.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.
 

World Wide Web:  www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com