Michelin CEO continues FIA criticism

Edouard Michelin, the CEO of the French tyre manufacturer, told reporters at the Catalunya Rally that he remains baffled about why tyre change rules were pushed through the Formula One Commission earlier this week.

"The decisions, the changes at the last minute, always bring you to wonder about the reasons or the real motivations," he said in Spain. "I think for motor racing to function well, one needs transparency and a clearness of intentions and objective.

"At the moment there is at the same time confusion on the objectives and of the urgency of the deadlines. It is a sign of problems, problems that are beyond us, but ones which will not throw a shadow over the formidable season that we had with our partners."

Michelin this week issued a press release slamming the rule changes as 'incoherent', although the FIA hit back by claiming that the regulations had been brought in democratically through a vote in the F1 Commission.

This public spat in the latest in a series of disputes that have surfaced between Michelin and the FIA since the United States Grand Prix this year.

And with Michelin remaining defiant in their stance against the FIA, it has again led to speculation that the company could turn their back on F1 in the near future.

Michelin added: "We make many efforts so that motor racing continues to evolve and move in the right direction - so it remains a true competition in technical terms. I think many people make the same analysis as us.

"Why are there problems with F1? One can ask that question. But these problems will only be solved by being dealt with. We want to be positive and constructive players in this situation.

"And at the risk of disturbing certain practices and operating procedures which take place behind a democratic front, there are signs of serious problems of governship. The single tyre in F1? Not with Michelin..."

When asked whether that meant the French tyre manufacturer would definitely pull out when F1 switches to a control tyre, Michelin said that his company would work hard to convince the sport's bosses that competition should remain between tyre companies.

"Our position has been clearly expressed very often with regard to the single tyre," he added. "It is the beginning of the passage to the single engine, the single car and a standard car like a Clio.  It is very interesting but it is not any more F1.

"The challenge, provided that the regulatory process functions, which is not really the case, is to control the situation intelligently so that the costs, the spectacle and safety are controlled while having equality between the teams so that the competitive capacities based on technology can be expressed.

"And the tyre is not an accessory to car performance, like a rear view mirror. If you destroy the affect of the tyre in competition it is an error of judgement.

"Those who preach this solution must recognise that they have failed in their capacity to allow competition to remain while controlling costs, the spectacle and safety. I think that this situation shows in an obvious way that the regulatory body functions badly.

"When a regulatory body functions properly, as is the case in rallying and motorbikes, the competition is good, desirable and brings value to the manufacturers and especially to the public. Our wish is that this situation develops also positively for F1."