Michelin in trouble at Indy/Michelin might not race at Indy (merged)

[ralf fan]

i dont think they will have a grid penalty because i think they are running the same compounds for qually.......
But the actual penalty for changing tyres between qually and race is adding a minute to the overall race time...so if this is true it will be interesting what the FIA does...

[Pingguest]

Renault Threaten Not to Race at Indy
Saturday, 18 June 2005 16:57

World championship leaders Renault have said they will pull out of tomorrow's United States Grand Prix on safety grounds if permission is not given for Michelin to fly-in new tyres for the race.

With Michelin still baffled about the causes of several failures during Friday practice, including Ralf Schumacher's high-speed crash, the French tyre manufacturer is pushing hard to be allowed to bring in a new specification of tyre for Sunday's race.

And Renault boss Flavio Briatore has made it clear that if permission for that move is not granted then he will withdraw his team's cars from the Indianapolis event.

"We fully support Michelin in this situation, and in the efforts they are making to best resolve it," he said in a statement issued by the Renault team.

"They are flying out different tyres to use in tomorrow's race – the same that were used in Barcelona for the Spanish Grand Prix.

"The authorisation to use them has not yet been granted, but if that were not given, we would not compete in tomorrow's race. The safety of our drivers remains our number one priority."

The Michelin runners were only able to take part in Saturday morning's free practice session after making necessary set-up changes to their cars to ensure that their tyres were safe.

Permission to run the new tyres would need to be given by both the FIA and rival Bridgestone teams, because the sport's current rules dictate that tyres have to be chosen before the race weekend.

www.autosport-atlas.com

This is going to be a chaos.

[Kicking-back]

They're blustering.

20 cars will be on the grid.

[T0MAT01]

As I understand it, the problem is that the Michelin teams now want to use the Barcelona spec tyre which hasn't been approved for the USGP - so it is a case of whether the FIA allows them to switch to an unapproved tyre, rather than what penalty to appoint.

[Kicking-back]

They won't be allowed to change, they will race, and there won't be a problem.

[mabs_nsx]

If they don't race there will be no race. And if there were what a boring race that would be.

[ralf fan]

Yes Michelin might go conservative but they are not going to throw 3-8th places...

[Menelaos]

@k-b: probably, but still it's the first time I see such an extensive talk over tyre problems... do you remember anything else like that?

[Kicking-back]

If all the Michelin teams pulled out, the race would be cancelled anyway.

[T0MAT01]

Were all 3 tyre failures on Toyota's cars? (or have I missed something?).

[ralf fan]

Toyota is the only team who've had failures.... so maybe it is something to do with the way they handle their tyres... because Michelin have stated that they have not actually found out the problem with the tyres..

[Menelaos]

ehm, I think actually michelin stated they can't find THE problem. Which could mean that they understand sth is wrong, but can't find what... Not sure though...

[Menelaos]

there's a 3rd failure? I thought it was only Ralf and Zonta.....

[avsfan733]

serves them right after pushing this stupid rule on people...now we realise how dangerous it is to do this. I hope they withdraw i hope they have to watch a minardi finish on the podium and i hope it happens again.

[the_royksopp]

Is it definite that they'll cancel the race, should Michelin withdraw? Or might they just race with only six cars on the grid?

Though, i dont believe we'll actually see a withdrawal from Michelin - those kinds of things always tend to get sorted out some how, in the eleventh hour.

[Menelaos]

Originally Posted by avsfan733

I hope they withdraw i hope they have to watch a minardi finish on the podium and i hope it happens again.

Podium? the minardis would probably retire anyway

[avsfan733]

after the garbage they have given Ferrari about testing more Ferrari and Bridgestone not only should say no...they should demand that the rules be enforced as they were writen before the season. Especially given that the rules were written by the Michelin teams.

Some people don't like Bridgestones policies but I think the hypocritical dirty politics of michelin are far worse

[T0MAT01]

Originally Posted by Menelaos

there's a 3rd failure? I thought it was only Ralf and Zonta.....

Sorry! it's been a long day!

But obviously both Toyota failures though. hmmm

[BootsOntheSide]

They've all gone out so far in qualifying, including Zonta's Toyota, so this is probably gblustering over nothing. The FIA are seemingly under no duress to allow Michelin to use the completely new type of tyre in the race, and even if they can switch it seemingly will mean a one-minute penalty, so I doubt any teams other than maybe Toyota will switch. Now I'm going to get off the site to avoid seeing any more of the qualifying times.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by avsfan733

serves them right after pushing this stupid rule on people...now we realise how dangerous it is to do this. I hope they withdraw i hope they have to watch a minardi finish on the podium and i hope it happens again.

How are tyre failures after a few laps in practice anything to do with the one-tyre rule?

That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever!

[Menelaos]

agreed, that's a problem with not-so-good michelin tyres this weekend.

Anyway, they're all qualifying, all teams.

[Kicking-back]

These things always get sorted out anyway - it's F1!

[avsfan733]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

How are tyre failures after a few laps in practice anything to do with the one-tyre rule?

That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever!

I was more intending to comment on their seeming fear of the tires being completely and wholly incapable of completing the GP distance, if they are worried after a few laps, and are shipping in new tires, seems to me to be very much somethign concerned with the one tyre rule

[Kicking-back]

But some of the teams believe they can make the tyres last the distance.

[eatapc]

Rules are rules, and the Michelin runners should rightly be stuck with them.

This may turn out to be much ado about nothing. If it was a Toyota setup problem, then the other teams will not pull out. BAR and Red Bull have already announced they may ignore any Michelin advice to withdraw, so the bluff is already falling apart. Kimi just said in the press conference that he's not worried about the tires, so McLaren is in. With Trulli on the poll and the two Renaults in good position, those teams will not simply chuck the qualifying effort to support a Michelin threat that won't work.

The race will go on. Michelin teams will help the tires along with a little more tire pressure and a little more downforce. Should be interesting.