Anyone who followed Formula 1 remembers that afternoon. Only six cars took to the track at Indianapolis in the United States Grand Prix 2005. Michelin tires could not withstand the famous banked corner of the world’s most famous oval, so only the cars with Bridgestone tires took to the track.
Boos, objects hurled at the track, televisions cutting out the broadcast… Setting aside the grim facts, it was the saddest day in the history of modern Formula 1. For everyone except one. Tiago Monteiro, who with his humble Jordan achieved his first and only podium in Formula 1 and celebrated it loudly while his fellow podium finishers didn’t even uncork the champagne.
Monteiro Achieved His Only Podium on the Day Only Six Cars Raced at Indianapolis
The 2005 United States Grand Prix is remembered as one of the saddest moments in Formula 1 history, with no fatal accident involved. Only six cars took to the Indianapolis circuit, the Ferraris, Jordans and Minardis. A scandal that left Formula 1 in the United States scarred for almost two decades.
However, there is a driver for whom talking about Indianapolis 2005 evokes one of the happiest moments of his life. His name is Tiago Monteiro, and in that six-car race he achieved the first and only podium of his life in Formula 1, also the only one ever achieved by a Portuguese driver.
While the Ferrari drivers walked away from the podium in embarrassment without opening the champagne, for Monteiro that was a party. His Jordan was one of the worst cars in Formula 1, but with all the competition gone, he had achieved the impossible. More than 20 years later, Monteiro still does not regret it.
“Twenty years later people still talk about that. Back then we were three or four seconds behind the leaders. I fought with the Minardis and with my teammate, Narain Karthikeyan, in every race, but no one ever paid attention to us. That tire problem gave us a unique opportunity”, recalls Monteiro.
As a matter of fact, that was the year of Monteiro’s Formula 1 debut, and he delivered brilliant form. Beyond the podium, he finished all the races except one, and scored again at Spa, with a points system that only rewarded the top eight. He continued for one more season, but when Spyker took over the team they let him go and he never returned.
Forever in memory will be his eternal smile on the saddest day of Formula 1. Do you think it was right that Monteiro celebrated his podium at Indianapolis?
Images | Formula 1
