Topic: MIchelin Wants Back In -But Using 18" Wheels.

[MG]

Did you know Formula One runs on 13" wheels? That's only one inch larger than my 1973 Honda Civic, which used 145/80/12 tires!     According to ITV-F1, MIchelin would consider returning to F1 after the departure of Bridgestone at the end of the 2010 season.  Initial reaction to Michelin's proposal is positive among the teams.  Here's more:



Leading Formula 1 figures have hinted that the sport could make technical changes to help entice a new tyre manufacturer into the fray, amid rumours that Michelin would like to return, but using 18-inch wheel rims rather than the current 13-inch diameters. F1 has a tyre supply void to fill for 2011, when Bridgestone is set to depart after 14 years in the sport, many of them as sole supplier.

Reports emerging during the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend suggested that if Michelin was to come back, it would like to run wheels more in line with those featuring in its sportscar programmes.

Williams technical director Sam Michael believes 18-inch wheels would be a good move for F1. "I personally think it’s a great idea; I’d love to do that," he said. "I think it brings Formula 1 into the modern world if you like. The problem with having a 13-inch wheel rim at the moment – it’s a very specific tyre. And although tyre companies like Avon and Kumho and Michelin and Bridgestone and Goodyear make tyres like that, they are very specific to Formula 1-type racing. So if you went towards an 18-inch rim, I think it’s a good thing for the sport to protect itself for the future because tonnes of people make 18-inch tyres. They’re used on sports cars all the time, and they’re much closer to a road car tyre. So if someone sees the tyre on a Formula 1 car, whether it’s a slick tyre or even the wet tyres, they’ll say ‘actually, that just looks like the thing that’s on my M3’ or something like that."

Mercedes' Ross Brawn said it was important that F1 was willing to meet tyre companies' requests. "I think for any tyre supplier coming into Formula 1, we need to respect their objectives and try to match them with the objectives of the teams," he said. "Because if we sort of put our hand up and say ‘you can’t make any changes, this is the only thing we’ll accept’, we won’t be as attractive as we could be."

His concern about an 18-inch wheel move is that it could result in major design changes that would make life difficult for the smaller teams. "What we just need to [ensure] is that we don’t instantly make redundant some of the cars of the smaller teams – we need to avoid that possibility," said Brawn. "But I think it’s perfectly feasible to apply constraint in the regulations initially, but loosen them later to where you have to have suspension that would fit within a 13-inch wheel. You wouldn’t immediately massively disadvantage the small teams who maybe want to keep their survival cells and their pieces to carry on. We want to find a good solution that gives a challenge to Michelin, or whoever it is that wants to come into Formula 1, that they can see merit in coming in. And if that means an 18-inch wheel then I think Formula 1 is very open-minded about what’s needed."

[Ultra]

As a fan I don't see how this affects me much.  As a series that needs a tire supplier, I am not surprised to see so much publicized willingness to accept change.

[Allan L]

I remember sitting next to a Michelin representative at a Mobil Economy Run and complaining that his company no longer made tyres for my 17" wheels. He asked what size and when I said 525 × 17 he said that was a cross-ply size (which it is) and that Michelin had never made cross-plies (!) whereupon I said I had a pair of them and they were excellent which was why I wanted more.
I wonder if, when Michelin makes 18" tyres for modern racing cars, they just might make some 18" tyres in narrower widths for the historic racing cars (e.g. 550 × 18 and 700 × 18 for the Alfa Romeo 158).

[Ultra]

Cooper Avon enters race for 2011 tyres

By Jonathan Noble    Saturday, April 17th 2010, 12:45 GMT

Cooper Avon has emerged as a surprise late contender to supply Formula 1 tyres next season, AUTOSPORT has learned, despite teams having agreed in principle a deal with Michelin.

After weeks of discussions between F1 teams and Michelin about the French tyre manufacturer returning to the sport next season, high level sources have revealed that an official offer for a 2011 deal has now been proposed in writing to the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA).

While what is proposed is believed to have the support of every team, the move still needs ratification from the FIA and F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone before it can be put into practice.

However, despite the teams being keen on the Michelin plans - which will include a switch to 18-inch wheels – sources claim that Bernie Ecclestone is not in favour of such a move, and is instead believed to be keen on a different tyre manufacturer getting involved.

AUTOSPORT understands that FOTA representatives are now hoping to meet Ecclestone at the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday to try and sort out the situation – with him not having yet informed teams what his own preferred route for 2011 is.

A source told AUTOSPORT: "We want to know by the Spanish Grand Prix what tyres we are running in 2011. That is why we plan to meet with Ecclestone on Sunday to see what his idea is."

Sources suggest that Ecclestone is pushing for a deal with Cooper Avon. It is possible that the tyre manufacturer could use former Bridgestone personnel to help service the tyres and ensure it is operating at a level that will satisfy F1 teams.

FOTA has now ruled out any hope of Bridgestone being persuaded to remain in the sport – even as supplier to a few teams – despite a push by the teams to try and convince the Japanese manufacturer to remain after this season.

http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=126341&st=120

[faksta]

Those chops... ahahahahah    I hope this won't happen, God bless the F1.

[Ultra]

Pirelli wants in with the 18 inchers also...


http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83101   

Pirelli eyes F1 return

By Jonathan Noble    Thursday, April 22nd 2010, 14:42 GMT

Pirelli tyresPirelli is ready to open talks with Formula 1 teams about a tyre supply deal, after company chiefs this week gave it the green light to evaluate a return to grand prix racing.

With teams currently weighing up offers from Michelin and Avon Cooper about supply deals for 2011, Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli has now also joined the race to compete in F1 from as early as next season.

Its bosses held an investors' meeting in Milan on Wednesday and approved a proper study into the benefits of getting Pirelli back into F1 for the first time since 1991.

Pirelli's director of motorsport, Paul Hembury, says the company's stance has been prompted by the fact that F1 could switch to 18-inch rims, and that teams are now ready to accept proper commercial terms for an F1 tyre supplier.

"Nothing is concrete yet, but we understand that with the possibility of 18-inch tyres, and the fact that the commercial reality has changed compared to the previous environment, then F1 is something that we are now looking into," Hembery told AUTOSPORT.

"We are always in contact, and remain in contact, with the FIA and the F1 promoter - and that is something that continues year on year. We've been aware of the ongoing situation in F1 and that is really what has led to our latest situation."

Although Michelin has made it clear that it is most interested in a return to F1 if it faces a tyre war, Hembery says Pirelli would prefer to become a standard supplier.

"We wouldn't rule out a tyre war at this moment, but at this current time I don't think there is a huge appetite to spend large sums of money developing tyres to go faster," he said. "Of course these things go in waves and at some point that may be the correct approach, but at the moment teams are more interested in bringing costs down."

With Pirelli about to embark on its feasibility study, and keen to begin dialogue with teams, Hembery admitted that getting a deal in place for 2011 would be tough - but did not totally dismiss it.

"To be there next year is very ambitious, but you should never say never," he said. "If the commercial conditions are good, and from our point of view we believe it is the right direction and it has been presented and approved by our board and the FIA, then we will see where we are."

F1 teams are hoping to get the 2011 tyre plans in place by next month's Spanish Grand Prix, but the fact that Pirelli has now entered the race to supply tyres may lead to a decision taking longer.

Pirelli's last spell in F1 was from 1989 to 1991, when it famously triumphed with Nelson Piquet and Benetton at the 1991 Canadian Grand Prix.

[MG]

I am conflicted by the "tire war" aspect of the thing. Remembrance of Ferrari with its 100 dedicated tire engineers on permanent duty at Bridgestone headquarters, making Bridgestone virtually an in-house tire supplier to Ferrari at the expense of all other teams running Bridgestones is not something I want to see happen again. And the ruination of the Indy race when Michelins started exploding in the last corner will forever leave a very bitter taste in my mouth.

Tire wars, imho, put drivers at risk. ESPECIALLY in an era of no testing. There would have to be a wholesale re-thinking of the current competition rules if such a thing were to happen.

[MG]

Now Pirelli wants in on the fun. No mention if their proposal is using the current 13" wheels or the 18" wheels favored by Michelin. Butthead Bernie is said to favor the Avon offer, which is less expensive than that of Michelin. Avon supplies GP2 rubber and is owned by Cooper.


Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli has confirmed its intention to join the bidding process to supply tyres to the Formula 1 field next season. Michelin And Cooper Avon had been the only firms in the running to replace Bridgestone but Pirelli – which has competed in F1 over three different stints in the past – has now revealed it will present a proposal to the teams and the sport’s stakeholders by the time of the Spanish Grand Prix next weekend.

“Pirelli communicates its decision to present a technical and commercial offer for supply of tyres to all the teams in the Formula 1 world championship,” the company said in a statement. “The company plans to present the bid to FIA (Federation Internationale de
l'Automobile) and FOA (Formula One Administration Limited) by 9 May, the date of the next Formula One Grand Prix to be held in Spain.”

French tyre supplier Michelin had until recently been thought to be the only company in the running to succeed former rival Bridgestone as F1’s tyre supplier, the firm having presented teams with a proposal to switch to 18-inch wheel rims for 2011. However, American company Cooper last week confirmed it was also in talks with the FIA to enter the sport through its Avon brand and its lower-cost bid is reportedly favoured by Bernie Ecclestone.

Having been involved in F1 for eight years from the world championship’s inception in 1950, Pirelli returned to the grid in 1981-1986 before re-entering the sport for a further two-year stint from 1989.