Think Formula 1's last tyre war was fought in 2006, when Bridgestone and Michelin went head-to-head?
Think again. As this is written, a war every bit as ferocious as the on-track battle is ramping up, as incumbent Pirelli and Michelin look to persuade the major players of their bona fides, and that their respective approaches will prove to be of greatest benefit to F1.
The FIA has refined procedures since Pirelli was awarded the current contract. The Italian firm had already struck a long-term marketing agreement with Formula One Management, and the knowledge that Pirelli logos would be plastered across all circuits would surely have been in competitors' minds would considering the F1 tender.