Montoya

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya can make history Sunday in the U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis and also prevent Ferrari from equaling another Formula One record.

The Williams driver could become the first Indy 500 winner to taste F1 success at the track.

Former CART champion Montoya won the Indy 500 in 2000, the year Indianapolis hosted the grand prix for the first time, before moving to F1.

Only four drivers have won both events before, but they never had the chance to compete in a F1 event at The Brickyard.

"Last year I was very close. I was very competitive," said Montoya, who led for five laps in 2001 before being sidelined by an hydraulic failure in a race won by Finland's Mika Hakkinen for McLaren. "It'll be my second time, but it probably won't be the last time I go there. I think my expectations are higher than normal. I think I have a pretty good chance.

"I do want to beat Michael (Schumacher)."

Montoya has been on the pole seven times in 15 races this season but has yet to add to his debut victory at Monza a year ago.

A win Sunday would delight the expected 150,000 home crowd, without a driver or team of its own to cheer on, and also shatter Ferrari's hopes of equaling McLaren's 1988 record of 15 wins in a season.

Ferrari has won the last eight races and 13 so far this year and is on course to match McLaren's achievement with just Indianapolis and Japan, where Schumacher has won for the last two years, remaining.

Michael Schumacher won at Indianapolis in 2000 and loves being in the United States, one of the few countries in the world where he and his wife Corinna can go on vacation without being recognized.

"I am a big fan of America and it is always a pleasure to come here and enjoy a degree of anonymity," he said on his personal Web site this week.

The German, who wrapped up his record-equaling fifth title more than two months ago, flew to America last week for a secluded riding vacation. He will not report back for work in Indiana, relaxed and refreshed, until Thursday.

"The setting is really impressive, with the packed grandstands and I always enjoy driving here, even if, in my opinion, the track itself is not particularly demanding," Schumacher said. "The Motor Speedway is a famous part of motor racing history, but the circuit used for the Formula One race does not represent a true challenge in pure driving terms.

"I am not going to make predictions about Sunday's Grand Prix because a lot will depend on tire performance. We know our car is close to perfection on all types of track and we will definitely be competitive."

Schumacher's Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello should be able to clinch second place in the championship, since he is currently 17 points ahead of Montoya.

That should pave the way for a completely open race at Suzuka, with Ferrari having no further need for controversial team orders having secured both titles and second place in the drivers' championship.

Germany's Heinz-Harald Frentzen makes his grand prix return, this time with Sauber as a stand-in for Brazilian Felipe Massa, after leaving absent Arrows last month.

Massa was given a starting grid penalty at the last race in Italy and Frentzen, who is due to replace the Brazilian anyway next season, was drafted in to enable the team to escape the sanction.

Briton Jenson Button, already the youngest point scorer in F1 history, will be reaching a new milestone with Renault as the youngest driver -- he is still just 22 -- to chalk up 50 starts.