Michelin to Ignore FIA Warning on Tyres

Michelin have challenged Formula One's governing body to disqualify half the grid at the next Italian Grand Prix after the FIA raised doubts about their tyres.

"If the FIA want to disqualify 10 cars from the final results, then go ahead," Pascal Vasselon, Michelin's Formula One programme manager, told Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper on Tuesday.

He said that the French company's tyres were legal and Michelin saw no reason for change at a decisive stage in the championship.

Ferrari's Michael Schumacher, whose car uses Bridgestone tyres, is clinging to the overall lead by one point from Williams' Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya and two points from McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen.

Williams, who lead Ferrari in the constructors' standings by eight points with three races remaining, and McLaren both run on Michelin tyres as do Renault, Jaguar and Toyota.

Vasselon said that the tyres to be used by Michelin teams at Monza next week and in testing at the circuit starting on Tuesday would have the same dimensions as those used at the last Hungarian Grand Prix.

"Since our tyres have been considered legal up to now there is no reason to change them and above all we question the change in the interpretation of the rules with the championship still under way," he said.

"The tyres for these Monza tests were manufactured in the days immediately after the Hungarian Grand Prix and there was clearly not time to change them."

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) warned teams last week that stewards would be looking closely at tyres after the race as well as before to ensure they conformed to the maximum amount of tread allowed in contact with the road.

FIA sources said information received after Hungary, where Michelin cars filled the top seven places, suggested that Michelin's front tyres could be in breach of the regulations under some circumstances.