He led the 2001 race too, and has won twice this season and scored seven further podium finishes for BMW Williams. We obviously believe in ourselves, and the rest is, you take it as it comes, and you do your best."Montoya is also a past winner here, however, albeit of the prestigious Indianapolis 500 in 2000. We have worked very intensely on every option in testing last week. And adding spice is the fact that for the first time since 1986 there are three drivers still in the running for the title with only two races to go.

The Ferrari maxed out at 229mph down the straights, on a track where tyre and chassis performance is less important than sheer grunt, and Montoya had to settle for second.The smart money is on a Michelin revival here at Indianapolis, where the tortuous infield is a key part of the lap, but there is also a very long straight, the longest in the business, which will help Ferrari.The situation is so delicately poised, with Schumacher leading Montoya by three points (82 to 79) that it is impossible to call. Montoya edged alongside and was a fraction ahead, but Schumacher kept his nerve and his lead.Thereafter, Montoya's decision to go for one notch more on the rear wing, against the advice of his BMW Williams team, proved the deciding factor. Ferrari, already on red alert as Bridgestone's performances in recent events had left them trailing, went into panic.The result was a crucial win at Monza, and the critical part of that race was Schumacher's wheel-to-wheel run through the second chicane on the opening lap with his, arch-rival Juan Pablo Montoya Whoever won that scrap would win the race. Michael Schumacher has never been short of confidence, and his 68th Grand Prix victory, scored a fortnight ago at Monza, may have been the crucial act of a season that brings him a record-setting sixth world championship crown. The Frenchman, who is 19 points behind Toseland, is his biggest threat for third place.. Neil Hodgson, who won the championship, is set to move to MotoGP, so there could be a slot available for Toseland on the official factory Ducati team.

But in terms of bargaining power he must not finish lower than third in the championship, and would like to close the gap on Ruben Xaus, of Spain, in second place.But Xaus, Hodgson's Ducati Fila team-mate, has a 51-point advantage over Toseland with two races to come tomorrow before the final round at Magny-Cours in France.Toseland set the fastest time of 1min 49.011sec with Regis Laconi second fastest on the NCR Ducati. James Toseland's hopes of securing third position in the World Superbike Championship improved yesterday when the HM Plant Ducati rider took provisional pole position for tomorrow's races in Italy. Toseland's future is in doubt because his team is leaving the series at the end of the season. The Spaniard easily attracted the largest gallery as fans flocked to watch his threesome.. A bogey at the 18th before playing the front nine in 35 meant a 74 and at three over par he is in danger of not qualifying for Sunday's final round.* Heath Slocum and Bob Tway tied the course record with nine-under-par 61s to share the first-round lead at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio Sergio Garcia returned to the US with a two-under 68.