American Grand Prix – pre-race – tyres

June 19, 2005 by paul
Filed under: Uncategorized

If you missed the whole tyre story, catch up with my notes from Friday practice and yesterday’s practice and qualifying sessions.

Renault boss Flavio Briatore has threatened to withdraw his cars from [the] US Grand Prix unless permission is granted for Michelin to use a new batch of tyres flown in from its Clermont-Ferrand factory. Unfortunately he seems to be the only team boss willing to make a stand for the safety of his drivers.

“Formula 1 impresario Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed suggestions that the United States Grand Prix might not go ahead due to a mass boycott by the Michelin teams.” He basically said that they’ll make sure all the teams run but because “they will be in breach of regulations – that’s obvious … we will see afterwards what will happen.” Well that’s very handy for Bernie – he gets his money (sorry, race) and then the teams have to fight it out in court to see if it was worth the millions they paid to compete.

Minardi boss Paul Stoddart has joined the debate – he says he feels empathy for the teams running Michelin tyres but wants to see the FIA apply their rules fairly. (Minardi wanted special dispensation to run their 2004 car at the start of this season and were told no.)

On one hand, there’s the safety of the drivers (and marshalls, spectators, etc.) to think about, but equally can Bernie/Max allow the teams to bend the rule? Will they allow the teams to change tyres but shuffle them all down the grid. (My money is on that solution, because that also gives Ferrari a clear advantage – a definite plus for Bernie.) If they insist on the teams running on the same tyres and there’s an accident (and remember this race is in the States) the litigation and money-grab is going to be huge.

Even the official F1 site says “If Michelin decide they cannot be used safely, their teams could face a major dilemma. A new batch of tyres is being flown in from France, but in using these competitors would be breaking several Formula One regulations. Meetings are taking place between the parties concerned to try and reach a solution, but a final decision is thought unlikely before Sunday morning.”

Updates:
BBC reports that “Ferrari were threatening to derail a rescue plan to save the US GP with an hour to go to the start of the race.”

ITV-F1, however, report that it’s the FIA that have rejected the plan. “FIA technical delegate Charlie Whiting wrote to Michelin this morning effectively informing the tyre manufacturer that its Indianapolis dramas were down to the shortcomings of its tyre design, and that fixing the problem was not, therefore, the responsibility of the governing body.”

The FIA has published the exchange of letters: initial letter + reply from Charlie Whiting; 2nd letter from Michelin + reply; fax + final brush off “It is for them to decide. We have nothing to add.”

[Race weekend schedule] [F1 calendar, 2005]