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Keeping the wheels on the ground - why F1 must not use Michelin tyres.
When F1 and Michelin are mentioned together a few things come to mind, most notably the 2005 United States Grand Prix and the length of the tyre stints that created 'boring races'. Bridgestone won the contract and Pirelli later took over, but now where next?
Michelin joined the sport in 2001 and after only two years hit the headlines for the wrong reasons when the tyres fit the regulations on width... At the start of the race, however as the race went on the tyres got wider and gave the cars more grip. Michelin ran for one more clean season before 2005 was another headline making one, the 2005 tyres were way quicker than Bridgestone's alternative and in United States the high pressure going through the tyres at turn 13, the banked corner, on the Indianapolis motor speedway course. The tyres failed at high speed and put the drivers in danger so Michelin did the best thing by proposing a chicane be introduced to the corner for the race to prevent the tyre load from causing failures. The cars running Michelins couldn't enter the race after the proposals were rejected so pulled into the pits at the end of the parade lap, the team refunded the spectators and gave 20,000 tickets for the 2006 race for free as compensation. Thankfully the new American Grand Prix is much more successful.
So Michelin are controversial and should be avoided but what's next. Personally teams should have increased prize money and negotiate their own tyre contracts whether it be Pirelli, Bridgestone or even Dunlop. All we will know of it is when it happens
Matthew Gannon- F1today
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Replies (3)
Login to replyPosts: 8,527
Interesting, and I agree the past doent look very nice for Michelin. Nevertheless, there is a reason for why WEC like them, and they are pretty competitive in series with multiple tyre suppliers like Super GT, even though Bridgestone still remain the most competitive tyre. Speaking of Bridgestone: was there ever as many complaints on them as there are on Pirelli?
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No not at all but the fact is Michelins were too durable as we want more stops, bigger degradation and more on track action according to many fan surveys
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Trust me, a new tyre war will be very bad for F1.
Many people want to see a certain driver win, many people want to see a certain team win, but who the hell wants to see a certain tyre win???
Tyres are very important since they are (normally) the only contact between the car and the track. If everyone is on the same tyres then it's more up to the teams and drivers to make the difference, which is what F1 should be all about.