The 'Red Tyre' idea
One of the stranger discussions in Formula One circles in recent weeks has revolved around the possible introduction of a 'red tyre' option after Michelin exits the sport.
Used in Champ Car, which, tellingly, is desperate to 'spice' its show in the face of competition from IRL for the heads and hearts of open-wheeler fans in the US, the gimmicky concept mandates the use of all rubber specifications provided by the tyre supplier for a specific Grand Prix, with the 'optional' tyre type being denoted by a red sidewall to enable fans to identify which compound is being used by which car at a particular stage of the race.
Presently both tyre suppliers provide their partners with two compounds, with teams then evaluating both before nominating their choice for use during qualifying and the race; under the new proposal, teams will be required to race with both specifications, switching during pitstops.