24/08/2013
NEWS STORY
It may only be a matter of months before the end of the current season but many big questions about 2014 are still unanswered. One of the biggest is which company will be F1's tyre supplier.
It has been well-publicised that Pirelli's position as F1's tyre supplier has not been confirmed for 2014 and it has also suffered several damaging blows to its reputation in the sport this year.
First it took part in a test with Mercedes, which left several teams disgruntled, and then many of its tyres mysteriously ‘exploded' at the British Grand Prix. There has been speculation that Michelin is keen to take over from Pirelli and this has now been confirmed by Bernie Ecclestone.
Speaking to Pitpass' business editor Christian Sylt on Friday Ecclestone said "Michelin would like to be in the game for next year. They would if they could."
Talking about the tyre issues experienced by Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso during second practice for the Belgian Grand Prix Ecclestone said "we have had two Pirelli blow outs. I think it might be a return to the problems of before."
Ecclestone says it is most likely that F1 will stick with Pirelli and there is sense in this. Despite its hiccups this year, there seems little point in changing the supplier for the sake of it.
Michelin of course had well-publicised tyre failures at Indianapolis shortly before it left and the French manufacturer made it clear that it preferred competition in F1 rather than being a sole tyre supplier. Pirelli seems to have settled into that role and it looks to have put its problems behind it. Its motorsport director Paul Hembery has confirmed that the blow outs at Spa are unconnected to the problems at Silverstone and if this is the case then it should be in pole position to stay as F1's tyre supplier.