Renault team boss Flavio Briatore has accused F1 new boys Red Bull of betraying fellow Michelin-shod teams, by voting in favour of the return of tyre changes during races in 2006, having been banned in 2005.

According to the Italian, the Austrian team, which uses Ferrari engines, tipped the balance in a vote held at the end of last year, and consequently tyre changes during races will be allowed this season. In 2005, the banning of tyre changes particularly hit Ferrari, which uses Bridgestone rubber.

Talking at the launch of his team's 2006 contender about the new rules for the forthcoming season, Briatore began by giving the thumbs up to the new 'knock-out' qualifying system: "We accept changing the rules about the qualifying to support everybody," he told reporters.

"However," he continued, "we thought it was good to have one tyre for the race. But somebody betrayed us from within the Michelin family.

"Red Bull voted against us, it was completely mad," he added. "I'm upset and it will be very interesting to see what they will do this season."

The 2005 rule, whereby teams (and drivers) had to conserve their tyres, certainly had an impact on Ferrari, but at the same contributed to an exciting season, as drivers were forced to choose a hare or tortoise approach, Kimi Raikkonen's failure at the Nurburgring being one of the most memorable moments of the season.

The fact is that when it came to longer life tyres, Michelin did a far better job than its Japanese rival, though not all Ferrari's problems were down to tyres. The change to the regulations for 2006, combined with the Indianapolis debacle and the move to a control tyre, mean that Michelin will withdraw from F1 at the end of 2006.

Meanwhile, sceptics who already accuse the FIA of favouring Ferrari, see the reintroduction of the tyre change rule as further 'evidence'.