F1

Michelin may become next F1 tyre maker (BBC)

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 20 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #133511
    Lucas Wilson
    Participant

    The BBC website has this interesting post: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/23824122

    Talks about that Pirelli and Mitchellin could be f1 tyre makers next year.

    #240560
    Deej92
    Participant

    The irony that a Michelin ad popped up when I went on this page. Two suppliers would be an unexpected development but an interesting one to the hugely different 2014 season. I see Pirelli staying either way.

    #240561
    Lucas Wilson
    Participant

    It may sound far-fetched at the moment. But Michellin have done very well for themselves in Le Mans.

    #240562
    Guilherme
    Participant

    Oh God please no, not a tyre war. If Michelin really comes, then we must say farewell to Pirelli. Tyre wars are a terrible terrible idea and we don’t need it at all.

    #240563
    Lucas Wilson
    Participant

    @guilherme

    I’m quite happy for Pirelli to go and michellin to come. At least Michellin stopped their cars from participating in a possibly dangerous race, Pirelli didn’t.

    #240564
    Nick
    Participant

    From what I’ve gathered from some online/blogs people I trust:

    – FOM, the teams and Pirelli have agreed on a deal, but the FIA is still talking to Michelin
    – Michelin would like to help the sport get a greener image by reducing the focus on pitstops; implying there will be less

    From some less reliable corners of the internet:

    – The reason the wheel size change for next year is off is Michelin being announced for 2015 with the new wheel sizes before the end of the current season.
    – The FIA will confirm Pirelli’s departure after 2014 at the same time they will announce their contract for 2014.

    Is it just me, or is this getting way sillier than after Bridgestone announced their departure?

    #240565
    Lucas Wilson
    Participant

    @npf1

    First two seem plausible.

    #240566
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    What’s wrong with a tyre war?

    #240567
    Lucas Wilson
    Participant

    @bmwf1

    Excatly, it would encourage both sides to push their boundries.

    #240568

    This rumour’s been around for quite a while.

    @bmwf1 @full-throttle-f1

    What’s wrong with a tyre war?

    The huge expense and the safety implications of uncontrollable speed increases, for starters. On top of which Pirelli reckon that even when a tyre manufacturer helps win a race with a superior product, the credit goes to the driver or the team, so there’s nothing in it for them. And of course it puts the sport at risk of having a series of seasons dominated by a single driver/team who has access to tailor-made tyres, as happened at the beginning of the 2000s.

    I haven’t missed the tyre war for a moment since it ended. Apart from in a knee-jerk rose-tinted specs sort of way, I don’t see why anyone would.

    #240569
    Lucas Wilson
    Participant

    I’d prefer it if Pirelli moved out and Michelin moved in.

    #240570

    Tyre wars are awful.

    Tyre wars encourage manufacturers to work closely with the team that gives them the best chance of winning the title (Ferrari-Bridgestone), rather than give each team equal treatment.

    You can also end up with seasons decided on how good the tyres are as opposed to how good the cars and drivers are (2003, 2005). That can make races pretty boring too.

    The way things are now with a single manufacturer, with tyres designed to produce interesting racing, is fine.

    EDIT: Looks like Keith beat me to it!

    #240571
    Lucas Wilson
    Participant

    I’d still prefer it if Pirelli went. Yes, the problems are because of what they were asked to do, but they don’t seem that good at doing it.

    #240572
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    I watched most races of the 2001 season on YouTube and thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.

    #240573
    Lucas Wilson
    Participant

    @bmwf1

    That’s nostalgia. In a couple of years time we’ll all be saying “I wish this year was like 2013, they had good racing then”

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 20 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.