Michelin slams 'incoherent' FIA over tyre changes

Changes to the Formula One tyre regulations for next season would increase costs and illustrated the sport's problem of "incoherent decision-making", Michelin said yesterday.

The French manufacturer said in a statement the changes announced by the sport's governing FIA this week would result in teams needing more tyres and an increase in development, production and logistics costs of 15 per cent.

"The change is incoherent with cost reduction objectives sought by the FIA president (and) it is a step backwards in regards to the 2005 regulations presented, at the time, by the FIA solely for cost reduction purposes," the statement said.

Michelin, who supplied seven of the 10 Formula One championship teams last season, said the changes would make Michelin's work in 2005 redundant and require the development of a new generation of tyres for next season.

"Michelin, therefore, questions the FIA's hidden motivations for the 2006 F1 regulations. Once again, this event illustrates the F1's problems of incoherent decision-making and lack of transparency."

The FIA announced this week that the sport would revert to a single tyre supplier, possibly as early as 2007. Michelin supplied the tyres for the champion Renault team and their main rivals McLaren this year, but its campaign was blighted by the US Grand Prix where all of the Michelin teams withdrew because of safety concerns about the tyres.

On Thursday, Bridgestone said it was committed to F1, reinforcing the company's position as the most likely supplier when the sport reverts to a single tyre manufacturer.

At present, Bridgestone supplies three teams, including 2004 world champions Ferrari.

"We want to continue to be a part of the Formula One championship - there's no change to that stance," Bridgestone spokes-man Shin Iwamoto said.

"We feel that Formula One is very important in helping us polish our technological edge, and we want to stay in the game."

o Max Mosley has been re-elected president of the FIA. The Briton, who first took the helm in 1991 and will be starting his fourth successive term in office, was returned by unanimous acclamation at a meeting of the FIA's general assembly in Rome.

Mosley's re-election was a foregone conclusion, with nobody else standing against the 65-year-old Briton.