With the imminent departure of Bridgestone as the official tyre supplier for Formula One, the stage has been set for possibly another tyre war or the rise of a new tyre supplier.
Michelin has been long been linked with a return to the pinnacle of world motorsport and now a Michelin official has confirmed the French marque is considering returning to formula one in 2011 as a tyre supplier.
It has been four years since Michelin left F1 after an intense tyre war with Bridgestone; new regulations stipulated that teams could only use a single tyre supplier effectively leaving Michelin out of the game.
Now with Bridgestone wanting out, rumours in Malaysia suggested Michelin wants to be paid to return next years, and also favours a move from 13 to 18-inch wheel hub diamters, and would welcome a rival supplier to compete with. This has set the stage for another suspenseful 2011 season for Formula One and could even mean that the cars could look very different with 18-inch wheels.
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: GMM
