Lauda: Jaguar Members Can Skip US GP at Will

Jaguar Racing team chief Niki Lauda said he will leave the decision about the members of the team travelling to next week's United States Grand Prix up to the men themselves.

Lauda's comments come after Ferrari sporting director Jean Todt said on Monday that World Champion Michael Schumacher will be free to skip the American race if he does not feel like driving at the Indianapolis circuit on September 30.

"Everyone has a free choice to go to Indianapolis or not in my team," said Lauda. "That is normal and not a problem at all from my point of view.

"But if we sit at home I think this is wrong because a small group of people is affecting us in that way. It is much better to go forward and attack them ourselves to cure the problem right where it starts and then we are all safe again."

Jaguar driver Eddie Irvine has already echoed Lauda's thoughts and said that Formula One should not succumb to terrorism and should defy the attackers to race in the penultimate round of the Championship.