Michelin Cancel Controversial Tyre Plans

A potential Formula One tyre war has been avoided after manufacturers Michelin revealed they have backed down on plans to run a controversial tyre in Melbourne this weekend.

Michelin were forced to cancel plans to run an alleged illegal tyre by Formula One governing body, the FIA.

"We are not going to take our chances and end up in a court battle," said Michelin spokesman Andy Pope. "We are not interested in getting all our teams disqualified and watching five teams racing around on Bridgestones.

"Our tyres in Australia will be 100 percent legal. They will be exactly as per last year in terms of look and grooves. We try to do everything by the book but it is clear that the FIA do not believe our development tyre is legal."

Rival manufacturer Bridgestone, whose tyres are used by World Champion Michael Schumacher's Ferrari team, hinted at anger over Michelin's plans to run the asymmetrical grooved tyres.

Bridgestone technical manager Hisao Suganuma said: "When grooved tyres were introduced in 1998, we believed that the FIA's intention was for all four grooves to be symmetrical. We have followed that spirit ever since."

But despite the controversy, Michelin is pressing ahead with testing of the development tyre and the company is determined to force the FIA to change their mind.

"We are in discussions with the FIA over the exact regulations relating to grooves and have made a proposal which we think it within the rules," said Pope.

"We have been testing with the tyre and if they had come back to us then we would have run it. But while there are discussions, we will not run them and we would like the FIA to classify things so we can do so as soon as possible."