Michelin Under No Pressure to Supply New Team

French tyre manufacturer Michelin are under no pressure to supply the new Formula One team due to be set up by businessman Charles Nickerson, a spokesman for the French tyre company revealed on Friday.

Nickerson faces a race against time to get his team onto the grid, but he will receive no help from Michelin despite their past links with Prost, the team whose entry he is believed to have bought.

"We have six teams and we are very happy with them," said spokesman Andy Pope. "We are sticking with six teams and there has been no pressure to do otherwise."

Michelin joined the Grand Prix grid last year and, as newcomers, they had to be able to supply 60 percent of the teams if they were called upon to do so. It is unclear whether they remain in that position now they have competed for a year, but Pope expects the FIA to put pressure on them if the new team is allowed to race.

"I would guess they could put pressure on the tyre companies and I think the pressure will come if they want the team to come in," he added.