Michelin is to make a last minute pitch to win the 2011 F1 contract in a FOTA meeting with the teams in Istanbul tomorrow.
It had been widely thought that Pirelli had already been agreed upon, and that an announcement would be made this weekend. However the teams could not finalise their arrangement with the Italian company, and Michelin has confused the issue by coming back with a revised offer.
The situation has grown extremely complex of late, with Bernie Ecclestone favouring Pirelli, and Jean Todt supporting Michelin. Most of the teams have been sitting on the fence, although McLaren has been particularly vocal in support of Michelin. Surprisingly perhaps Ferrari is leaning towards Michelin, while Mercedes is said to have moved from Michelin to the Pirelli camp.
The details of the deals on offer are complex, as they involve commercial and technical matters. It’s believed that Michelin wanted to supply fewer sets of tyres per car per season than under the current Bridgestone deal, but the latest offer is said to address that.
A further complication is that not all the teams are as keen as others to have identical contractual arrangements with the supplier. It’s rumoured that there was also some consternation in a recent meeting when it emerged that one top team has been enjoying a different arrangement with Bridgestone than its rivals.
“What’s important is that it’s good for F1,” one team boss told me. “If it’s Michelin or Pirelli, it doesn’t matter.”
Another praised Pirelli for its straightforward approach, whereas Michelin has frequently moved the goalposts. As previously reported, some weeks ago it dropped its price from €5m per team to €1.5m.
Adam Cooper F1 
Who might this ‘top team’ be who have been ‘enjoying a different arrangement with Bridgestone’?
I mean, I can probably guess – haven’t heard anything about this though. Comes as a surprise.
That is disturbing! I’m guessing this top team to be Ferrari, given their history with Bridgestone, but it could be any other team. Whichever way, it does not sound good at all.
Let them both in. just dont let a “ferrari/bridgestone” combo happen again.
That doesn’t sound good. If that confers an advantage on them you have to ask what on earth are Bridgestone playing at?
Sounds very interesting indeed! Hopefully we’ll hear more about this over the coming months.
I haven’t forgotten the 2005-USGP at Indy; why has everyone else? Michelin shouldn’t even be considered. But that’s just my opinion; I could be wrong.
Sure MICHELIN screwed up there, but, look at the big picture. MICHELIN do have a long history of manufacturing a good product. PIRELLI haven’t been in F1 since 1990 .
Things have changed a lot since then, and I recall that PIRELLI made a lot of screw ups in their time .
Maybe its time for you to forget the 2005 USGP.
Imagine they’d been the sole supplier at the time. It’d have been even worse than the mockery we *did* get.
End of argument.
With regards to indy 2005, you have got to remember that michelin had tyres that would have worked fine but they were blocked by the fia from bringing them, you have also got to remember that jean todt and the fia blocked a slight modification of the circuit to slow speeds through the banking, where the problems arose. Michelin made a mistake, but if it wasnt for the greed and stubborness of others that disaster would never have happened.