Preview - United States Grand Prix 2001.

The United States Grand Prix is the penultimate round of the 2001 FIA Formula One World Championship. This year the event looks likely to be a sombre affair after the terrorist attacks on September 11th.

The last Grand Prix - the Italian Grand Prix - was also a subdued occasion and while a further two weeks have passed since then the States remains shocked.

Last year the event was won by Michael Schumacher and over 200,000 people attended the first American F1 GP since 1991.

This year the German will once again be one of the favourites to take the win come Sunday but he will also have stiff competition from his team-mate Rubens Barrichello and the Williams duo - Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya.

Barrichello was unfortunate not to win in Italy and it was only a dodgy fuel stop that stood in his way of his second F1 victory. His loss though was Montoya's gain and after coming so close in Brazil and Germany the Colombian finally took his maiden F1 win in his first full season of F1.

Both Williams-BMW's will be strong candidates to win this weekend and the powerful BMW engine is likely to put them in a strong position at Indianapolis. The main factor, which could decide if it is a Williams or Ferrari that wins though is tyres and here Bridgestone are likely to have the upper hand having raced at the circuit in 2000. Michelin come to the track for the first time and while their estimates won't be far off it might be the edge Ferrari needs to romp home to their second consecutive one-two at the Indianapolis F1 track.

Of the rest McLaren can never be ruled out and Mika Hakkinen will be keen to do well as he faces what could possibly be his last but one ever F1 race. For David Coulthard the event also holds significance so that he can firm up his second position in the Drivers' Championship.

Sauber, BAR and Jordan are the other likely point contenders and while Peter Sauber's team has seemingly slipped back a bit in the last two races they remain fourth in the Constructors' Championship - three points in front of BAR and four ahead of Jordan. British American Racing's Jacques Villeneuve is likely to get a lot of support this weekend as like Montoya both drivers' are familiar to the American fans after their exploits in CART - both are also former Indy 500 winners.

At Jordan Jean Alesi will also be keen to do well on in his 200th GP and Jarno Trulli will be eager to score some points and capitalise on what is almost certain to be a top qualifying performance. Benetton and Jaguar have an outside chance of points while Prost, Arrows, and Minardi are likely to have had a wasted journey.

So then F1 will be at one of the best known track in the world this weekend and while it is almost certain that Ferrari or Williams will win anything can happen on Sunday...