Official Statement from FIA about the US GP

[zerinVR6]

Formula One is a sporting contest. It must operate to clear rules. These cannot be negotiated each time a competitor brings the wrong equipment to a race.


At Indianapolis we were told by Michelin that their tyres would be unsafe unless their cars were slowed in the main corner. We understood and among other suggestions offered to help them by monitoring speeds and penalising any excess. However, the Michelin teams refused to agree unless the Bridgestone runners were slowed by the same amount. They suggested a chicane.

The Michelin teams seemed unable to understand that this would have been grossly unfair as well as contrary to the rules. The Bridgestone teams had suitable tyres. They did not need to slow down. The Michelin teams’ lack of speed through turn 13 would have been a direct result of inferior equipment, as often happens in Formula One. It must also be remembered that the FIA wrote to all of the teams and both tyre manufacturers on June 1, 2005, to emphasise that “tyres should be built to be reliable under all circumstances” (see correspondence attached).

A chicane would have forced all cars, including those with tyres optimised for high-speed, to run on a circuit whose characteristics had changed fundamentally – from ultra-high speed (because of turn 13) to very slow and twisting. It would also have involved changing the circuit without following any of the modern safety procedures, possibly with implications for the cars and their brakes. It is not difficult to imagine the reaction of an American court had there been an accident (whatever its cause) with the FIA having to admit it had failed to follow its own rules and safety procedures.

The reason for this debacle is clear. Each team is allowed to bring two types of tyre: one an on-the-limit potential race winner, the other a back-up which, although slower, is absolutely reliable. Apparently, none of the Michelin teams brought a back-up to Indianapolis. They subsequently announced they were flying in new tyres from France but then claimed that these too were unsafe.

What about the American fans? What about Formula One fans world-wide? Rather than boycott the race the Michelin teams should have agreed to run at reduced speed in turn 13. The rules would have been kept, they would have earned Championship points and the fans would have had a race. As it is, by refusing to run unless the FIA broke the rules and handicapped the Bridgestone runners, they have damaged themselves and the sport.

It should also be made clear that Formula One Management and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as commercial entities, can have no role in the enforcement of the rules.

[DrKilljoY]

Michelin screwed up. Plain and simple I feel.

They (Michelin and the teams they outfit) have been dominant all season long due in large part to the tire rule changes... they should have just dealt with it... and next week they could have gone back to winning again.

And as far as the safety issue goes... "Slow down!" That's what drivers are for.

[JDMek]

I too am glad I didn't attend this event b/c I would be very upset as well as the rest of the fans. When I heard about this yesterday afternoon that there were only 6 cars in the race I just couldn't believe it. That's just crazy.

[azinwood]

i agree with FIA.

[SecretAgent]

Normally, I feel the FIA is an overbearing rule-crazed organization. However, in this situation I feel they were 100% correct in their decision. Everyone all year has been talking about what was going to happen at this race; if the tires were going to be able to handle the stress. This is the fastest race and turn in all of Formula One. I can't believe Michelin hasn't done any testing here. It's rather amusing though how Michelin was acting like a little kid when they requested the absolutely absurd idea of altering the course by adding a chicane to the fastest turn on the track. And then refused to run at all after the FIA denied them. I would love to see some kind of penalty be placed on Michelin (the tire manufacturer, not the teams that run them) for providing unsafe equipment.

[Mobil1]

Originally Posted by SecretAgent

Normally, I feel the FIA is an overbearing rule-crazed organization. However, in this situation I feel they were 100% correct in their decision. Everyone all year has been talking about what was going to happen at this race; if the tires were going to be able to handle the stress. This is the fastest race and turn in all of Formula One. I can't believe Michelin hasn't done any testing here. It's rather amusing though how Michelin was acting like a little kid when they requested the absolutely absurd idea of altering the course by adding a chicane to the fastest turn on the track. And then refused to run at all after the FIA denied them. I would love to see some kind of penalty be placed on Michelin (the tire manufacturer, not the teams that run them) for providing unsafe equipment.

Agreed.

The FIA offered a safe alternative to the Michelin equipped teams, which they rejected.

The blame for this PR catastrophe falls squarely on the shoulders of Michelin and the teams who run their tires.

[SportVortech]

Agreed.

The FIA has made some decisions in the past year that I have had a big problem with, from the tire rule to the qualifying agenda, but this one does boil down to michelin. No question about it. Michelin and the teams should have come up with some agreement, any agreement, to make it happen.

Let there be post race controversy, there always is anyways, atleast it wouldn't be as publicy embarassing as this.

Total fucking mess.

[Trader_Slick]

Originally Posted by azinwood

i agree with FIA.

[conecrazy]

more developments.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/moto...ne/4110808.stm

Teams hit with disrepute charge


The seven teams that pulled out of the US Grand Prix because of tyre safety concerns have been charged with bringing the sport into disrepute.

Renault, McLaren, Williams, Toyota, Red Bull, Sauber and BAR have all been summoned to appear at an FIA hearing in Paris on 29 June

In an identical letter sent to all teams, motorsport's governing body has charged them on several counts.

These range from not having the right equipment to damaging F1's image.

In the letter, the FIA's sporting secretary general Pierre de Coninck told the team owners they had:


"Failed to ensure you had a supply of suitable tyres";

"Wrongly refused to allow your cars to start the race";

"Wrongly refused to allow your cars to race subject to a speed restriction in one corner which was safe for such tyres as you had available".
It went on to detail a more general accusation that the teams "combined with other teams to make a demonstration damaging to the image of Formula One by pulling into the pits before the start of the race".

The teams will face a further charge of contravening F1 protocol by not informing stewards of their intention not to race.

All seven using Michelin tyres withdrew from Sunday's race after the French company admitted problems with them.

The six cars which started the race were all on Bridgestone tyres, including eventual winner Michael Schumacher, driving a Ferrari.

Team boss Frank Williams said the Michelin teams were willing to race for no points as long as a chicane was added on to the circuit.

But the FIA insisted it could not alter the rules to satisfy teams with inadequate equipment.

Rather than the Michelin teams boycotting the race, the governing body says they should simply have reduced their speed accordingly through the corner that was giving them problems.

The FIA also gave the teams the option of using different tyres and accepting a penalty.

Meanwhile, Michelin officials have vowed to remain in F1 despite the controversy in Indianapolis.

"We are convinced our decision was a professional one in line with our policy of 100% safety," Michelin said.

The problems in Indianapolis came to a head when two Toyotas crashed in free practice on Friday, thought to be as a result of tyre failure.

Michelin checked all their tyres and conducted similar tests in France, concluding there could be no guarantees of safety.