Germany preview quotes: Michelin

"Hockenheim has less of a tendency to promote graining than Magny-Cours, but it requires the use of rubbers that are capable of resisting high temperatures and will not be prone to blistering.

"The rears are subjected to particularly high loads - cars reach speeds of more than 300kph (186mph) through long, sweeping curves and there are significant traction events as drivers accelerate hard out of slower corners, such as Turn Six and Turn 13.

"Preparing tyres for conditions such as these is a very intense process. We evaluated our Hockenheim tyres in Jerez, Spain, during weeks 27 and 29. We tested six compounds and seven tyre constructions and did some analytical work that will assist our progress in future races.

"Both Jerez sessions were very busy- and they were absolutely essential as we strive to help our partners achieve their objectives in the 2006 world championships. Even in the heat of July, there has been no let-up either on the track or at our research centre, which has been working flat out on different simulation programmes in order to extract the best performance from our partners' car and tyre packages.

"F1 tyre preparation is extremely demanding and requires constant innovation in order to ensure continuous progress. Michelin has been particularly active in this domain in 2006 - more so than in previous years. To date we have brought about 40 new compounds to races this season - about twice as many as we had introduced by the same stage last year.

"In order to select these compounds we have tested more than 200 different combinations of compound and construction - a clear indication that we are determined to succeed during our swansong F1 season. Germany is one of seven races that remain and we will continue to push relentlessly in order to supply our partners with the best possible products."