Bridgestone to quit F1 after 2010 | Pirelli to take over

[Sanredrose]

Appropriate !!

I guess Michelin and probably Good year might also come back ...

[MavF1]

Hm, what if nobody really wants to replace Bridgestone? It's still a costly thing to be a tyre manufacturer in F1.....
When did Goodyear quit? After the 1998 season, right? And main reason for that had been costs? I don't think costs are lower today than in 98 really....
Avon? Compared to Goodyear, Bridgestone and Michelin they're just too small
Dunlop? 75% owned by Goodyear
Firestone? Owned by Bridgestone
Continental? They've had enough trouble to survive the finacial crisis

So the only options are Michelin and Goodyear really, but as I said I'm not even sure if they would consider being the F1 supplier.

[cformula1]

Hm, what if nobody really wants to replace Bridgestone? It's still a costly thing to be a tyre manufacturer in F1.....

Then the teams would then be paying for their tyres.

[megasyxx]

i hope we're gonna have another "tyre war" but not another indy disaster......

[duncbaby]

I, like others, are concerned that the tire wars can only be a positive thing if they are close in performance over the course of a race. For example, if one tire manufacturer was perhaps better at keeping tire temperature and has a performance gain over the first few laps before dropping off, while the competing tire manufacturer is conversely very consistent over a longer period (and therefore gains in performance relative to the other manufacturer toward the end of each tire stint). I can think of several such senarios which would make for an interesting addition to the race strategy now that refueling is banned. However, if there are massive differences between the tire makes over the duration of the season then we could possibly end up with a situation like 2005 which has already been hinted at by others.
With so many things changing next year I wonder if it would be better to keep to one manufacturer, if too many factors change from one season to the next then it is difficult to track which change actually made a difference in the issue of overtaking.

[cheng.damien]

I thought the tyre war brought a couple of seconds to the cars performances, not so much of the aero.
Perhaps another concern of a tyre war is a performance-vs-safety tradeoff?

[Coopz]

Cooper tyres please

[outsidr]

I'd like to see teams choose any tire they think will give them the competitive edge. Different engines, why not different tires?

[iceman1]

Michelin coming back?

Michelin has publicly admitted for the first time that it is in talks with the FIA about making a return to F1 as a sole tyre supplier.

According to Bloomberg Michelin’s Jean Dominique Senard gave an interview in which he admitted to “formal discussions” with the FIA and said, “We might consider returning but there are some very clear conditions.”

These revolve around an insistence by Michelin that the rules were changed to showcase tyres which had a positive environmental effect and a wider appeal to the motor industry than at present in order to “show the performance they can bring, notably in terms of fuel saving and CO2 reductions.” Fuel saving tyre technology seems to be the name of the game.

Bridgestone announced that the 2010 season would be its last in F1 and although Bernie Ecclestone has been talking to the company about ways in which it might be persuaded to stay, it is interesting to hear that Michelin are interested in a return. This would be greeted with enthusiasm by most of the teams as Michelin’s tyre engineering was very highly rated in the F1 paddock – notwithstanding the debacle at Indianapolis in 2005 when they brought the wrong tyres and were not able to race.

This kind of thinking is likely to strike a chord with FIA president Jean Todt, who has said that he wants motor sport to move with the times. Ironically, back in Indy 2005 Todt, then head of Ferrari, was adamant that a chicane could not be constructed to allow the Michelin teams to race, but a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then.

[iceman1]

Pirelli shows interest in F1 tyre supply

A third name has emerged as a potential supplier of formula one tyres in 2011.

It has been confirmed that Michelin, favoured by the FOTA group, as well as Avon-Cooper – believed to be favoured by Bernie Ecclestone and small F1 teams due to its lower-cost proposal – are in the running to replace the departing official supplier Bridgestone.

Milan-based Pirelli said late last year that it did not want to enter F1 because it “prefers to develop tyres for racing that will also be used on the road”.

But after a shareholder’s meeting in Milan on Wednesday, chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera said Pirelli might rethink its attitude if certain conditions are met.

Like Michelin, he said Pirelli wants the diameter of F1’s tyres to be increased from 13 to 18 inches, and would also need to supply its product with an economic benefit to the company.

According to Italian reports including ANSA and the Milan daily Il Giornale, Tronchetti Provera added that if those conditions can be met, Pirelli would “look into this (F1) world with greater attention”.

He insisted however that at the moment “there is nothing” more to the rumours.

Let's have Michelin vs. Avon vs Pirelli On 18-inchers

[megasyxx]

pls..... one more tyre war!

[blizzard]

Ferrari, Toro Rosso, HRT, Sauber - Pirelli
McLaren, Lotus, Force India, Williams - Avon
Mercedes, Red Bull, Renault, Virgin - Michelin

Now that would be sexy

[iceman1]

How Mclaren/Ferrari would look like with 18" diameter wheels

[shailf1]

How Mclaren/Ferrari would look like with 18" diameter wheels

doesnt look that bad, its ok if it improves overtaking opportunities..

[Ferrariman60]

It doesn't look as bad as I thought, but the suspension would need a massive overhaul, as currently, most of the suspension movement is actually in the tire sidewall!