As Pirelli and Michelin are about to engage in a hard-bought battle for Formula 1’s 2017 three-year contract, only one of the two tire manufacturers seems to be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job.
Michelin’s bid is based on switching to 18″ rims (like in Formula E) and obviously on providing different compounds enabling drivers to push harder and for longer stints.
However, Pirelli isn’t about to go down without a fight, as motorsport boss Paul Hembery told reporters in Austria that their bid is the only one that follows the current set of rules.
“We can only reply to the rules and we’ve said we will supply what they want. Do you want to do 20-inch? We’ll do 20-inch. Tyres that last the whole race? We’ll do that. Tell us what you want and we’ll do it.”
Well, that doesn’t sound desperate at all does it? But Hembery does make a strong point in saying that Pirelli isn’t here to change the way Formula 1 operates, unlike Michelin who have their own rules.
Hemberey went on to add that “At the moment it’s very clear that the size of the tyre is set by the FIA together with the teams and the promoter and it sets a certain type of tyre. They are still asking us to help assist create a number of pitstops. If that changes, of course we can do that as well.”
Also, wider tires are definitely coming, but whether they’ll be made by Michelin or Pirelli, it remains to be seen – though keep in mind that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, despite everything that’s wrong with Formula 1 today.
Pirelli have done a solid job, generally speaking, and if they can adapt to new regulations on the fly, we see no reason why there should be a switch between suppliers.
Story references: autosport
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