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The United States Grand Prix descended into farce this afternoon when 14 of the 20 cars pulled into the pits before the race even began at Indianapolis.
Michelin had warned teams that their tyres were not safe to race after a problems with the final, banked turn.
Ralf Schumacher crashed heavily there on Friday, prompting immediate investigations by Michelin who could not find the cause and subsequently advised their teams not to race unless a chicane was introduced.
Ferrari refused to sanction that move and as a result started the race alongside only the Minardis and Jordans.
Formula One commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone admitted the fiasco was "not good on both counts" for Formula One in the United States and Michelin's future in the sport.
He said: "Michelin brought the wrong tyres it is as simple as that. The difference is you can't tell people to do something when the tyre company says you can't race on those tyres.
"I feel sorry for the public and I feel sorry for the promoter here."
The race, for what it was worth, saw Michael Schumacher lead from Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello.
Tiago Monteiro was third in a Jordan ahead of Minardi's Christijan Albers. Narain Karthikeyan was fifth in the other Jordan with Patrick Friesacher's Minardi sixth.
The remaining drivers, including world championship leader Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, got out of their cars and watched from monitors in the pit lane.
A crowd of more than 100,000 watched bemused as Ferrari streaked away and perennial backmarkers Jordan and Minardi fought it out for an unlikely podium finish, one which would be Minardi's first.
Minardi boss Paul Stoddart was not in the mood to celebrate that possibility though.
He said: "All I can say is I just hope that when the dust settles down on this that we see that the truth for why it happened is sought out afterwards.
"The options that were available today and not taken will come out."
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