The F1 tyre supplier war continues with Pirelli emerging as a third potential supplier of Formula One tryes in 2011.
Current tyre supplier Bridgestone has confirmed that it will no longer be supplying the series and will be leaving the sport. Willing to fill the vacancy is French tyre manufacturer Michelin, favoured by the FOTA group, but wants to be paid to supply tyres and wants other tyre suppliers to compete against.
Another potential tyre supplier is Avon-Cooper, believed to be favoured by Bernie Ecclestone and small F1 teams due to its lower-cost proposal. Avon has previously supplied the now defunct A1GP series.
Milan-based Pirelli said last year that it did not want to enter F1 because “it prefers to develop tyres for racing that will also be used on the road”. But now, after a shareholder’s meeting on Wednesday, Pirelli chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera said the company might rethink its attitude if certain conditions are met.
Like Michelin, Pirelli also wants the diameter of F1 tyres to be increased from 13 to 18 inches, and will only supply its product if the company sees economic benefit.
According to Italian reports including ANSA and the Milan daily Il Giornale, Tronchetti Provera added that if those conditions can be met, Pirelli would “look into this [F1] world with greater attention”. He insisted, however, that at the moment “there is nothing” more to the rumours.
Source: GMM
