Michelin 'pessimistic' about 2011 F1 tyre deal

Pirelli has edged yet closer to becoming F1's new official tyre supplier.

The Milan based company's only competition for the deal, Michelin, is close to falling out of the running.

"The development time for 2011 seems very compromised now," managing partner Didier Miraton said at Le Mans, according to L'Equipe.

Spotted in Montreal on Sunday was Paul Hembery, Pirelli's competition director, for talks with the teams association FOTA.

It is believed that, some days ago, contracts were drawn up and signed with the representative of F1's commercial rights holder, Bernie Ecclestone.

The final hurdle is the signing off by the FIA's legal department.

Michelin's Miraton indicated that the French company is essentially now out of the running.
"It is probably too late for the deadlines of next year," he continued. "We have intervened to help, modestly, but at the rate things are going, I'm pessimistic."

Another stumbling block for Michelin has been the lack of widespread desire for a change of rules allowing more than one tyre supplier at a time.

"When there is only one manufacturer, there is no competition, no progress, no pleasure and the interest in the manufacturer is low," said Miraton.

Source: Motorsport.com

F1 : Bridgestone Motorsport official wants tyre company to stay in Formula 1

An official of the Japanese tyre supplier on Tuesday said he would like to see Bridgestone stay in Formula One.

Hiroshi Yamada is the development boss for Bridgestone's MotoGP programme.

He told Motosprint that while the marque is pulling out of Formula 1, Bridgestone will probably stay in MotoGP beyond the end of its current contract at the end of 2011.

"Obviously we'd have more money to spend (on MotoGP), because the Formula 1 budget is very high, but in my opinion we should stay in Formula 1 too, because our image would lose a lot otherwise," said Yamada.

Michelin is touted to re-enter Formula 1 in Bridgestone's wake next year, but the French marque wants at least one other supplier to compete with, as well as a move from 13 inch to 18 inch wheel rims in 2011.McLaren's engineering director Paddy Lowe confirmed this week that the teams would back Michelin's push for low profile wheels.

"Yes. I think all the teams have agreed that if Michelin would supply that as a condition then we would support that," he said.

Source: F1SA

'No decision' yet on 2011 return to F1 - Michelin

A Michelin official has admitted the French marque is considering returning to Formula One in 2011 as a tyre supplier.

Speculation about Michelin's return gained momentum at Sepang last weekend, where team bosses met with Bernie Ecclestone and discussed at length how to handle the departure of Bridgestone as official supplier.

Michelin left F1 after an intense tyre war with Bridgestone at the end of 2006, upset that the sport opted instead to mandate a single supplier.

Rumours in Malaysia said Michelin wants to be paid to return next year, and also favours a move from 13 to 18-inch wheel hub diameters, and would welcome a rival supplier to compete with.
A spokesman said in February that Michelin "might consider returning but there are some very clear conditions".

And in the wake of the latest reports, a representative of the Clermont Ferrand-based company told French daily Le Figaro: "We have made no decision.

"But we are closely monitoring the evolution of the regulations, knowing that we are committed to promoting the technical quality of our products and also the notion of respect for the environment," the Michelin official added.

Source: Motosport.com