2011 - Michelin in F1 return talks - 18 inch rims!

[Schuy1]

Rumours that French tyre company Michelin may return to Formula One under a very different set of tyre regulations have flooded the paddock, after the subject dominated a meeting between Bernie Ecclestone and F1 team bosses on Friday.

One of F1's greatest concerns ahead of 2011 is the loss of Bridgestone as an official tyre supplier. Reports suggest Michelin is willing to return to the sport but "wants money" and to work with a tyre formula closer to its other current sports car projects.

It is rumoured to be asking for between €2-5 million per team per season as well as free advertising around circuits. Its other proviso is that the tyres would be mounted on 18 inch rims rather than the current 13 inch ones, in order to allow Michelin to share its technology between F1 and its current racing series.

There are also suggestions that a new tyre war might break out, as Bridgestone is rumoured to be rethinking its decision to leave F1 if the teams pay for their supply contracts. Korean manufacturers Hankook or Kumho are also being linked as potential competitors.

However, it is believed the teams are still far from making a unanimous decision, as any change to the tyre regulations would require a costly rethink of chassis design. It is also thought that Ecclestone is proposing that any advertising revenue lost by giving Michelin free circuit hoardings should come out of general revenue - i.e. the teams' share.

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Interesting stuff here ...... 18 inch tyres / rims rather than the current 13" ones - sounds good.
By the way, you can hardly call the current tyres "low profile" either ..... why do they look like "truck" tyres (profile wise). Low profile would surely handle better too - any comments?

[Dave]

The 'high' profile tyres are stipulated by the FIA. I guess precisely because lower profile tyres would handle better.

In fact I would think higher side walls would go some way to increasing braking distances, seeing uneven tyre degradation etc. I assume the teams fill the tyres with nitrogen? Make them use air and the tyres pressures will vary hugely throughout the race.

I actually love the look of old high performance road cars from the 1960s with the big high side walls. So much cooler than blinged up alloys with a rubber band around them.

[arizal_adl]

18"? wow.. hope they got spinners as well..

[Zag]

Yes lets stay with 13'' wheels.... but maybe crossply tyres instead of radial.... no, solid rubber... no, not even that, how
about wooden... two types of wood, both of which must be used during a race and a wheelwright in every pit...

Balloons are for parties...

[clovnul]

Get rid of tyres. They are drivers aid and we don't need such things.

[ENGLAND]

ridin spinnaz on 18" inch rims, F1 turn into pimp my ride, haha that wud be quality, a f1 car on pimp my ride REODL

[f1-cobra]

More than likely they'll use the 33/65-18 tires like the one on these Audi R8's.

[clovnul]

Ugly. Very ugly.

[lightmas]

not sure how that would look on an F1 car..

[Rus-Evo]

I guess the tyres would not provide any suspension support on 18 inch rims compared to 13 inch ones. So they would change the whole suspension set up?

Also those 18 inch rims look good on Le Mans cars, Im not so sure about F1 looks-wise.

[ferrfin]

yeah can anyone do a photoshop representation of an f1 car with these tyres? Trulli? Im no good at those. Something tells me they wont fit in

[Dave]

They will look terrible. Michelin can go shove their 18" rims up their rims.

proviso is that the tyres would be mounted on 18 inch rims rather than the current 13 inch ones, in order to allow Michelin to share its technology between F1 and its current racing series

In other words they can't be arsed developing tyres specifically for F1 and just want the easiest and cheapest option possible. Bollocks to them I say!

Back when I was an Evo owner (when they were proper cars) I was in the owners' club and there used to be a number of muppets who would get big rims and silly rubber band tyres. On a rally car for ****s sake!

All huge rims have given the world are shiny alloys which attract people who say things like 'init', 'lyk' and 'LMAO', and poor ride quality and all Michelin has given the world is a cocked up US Grand Prix and a fat bloke.

[Rus-Evo]

Hey!! Stop making us Evo wannabes feel bad by name dropping that you had one

[Dave]

Hey!! Stop making us Evo wannabes feel bad by name dropping that you had one

It used to give ma a headache on the daily commute!

[Mat]

Here's a quick photoshop...
Not too sure that would look good

[f1-cobra]

I did a crude photoshop...
compare that to the original photo.

[Dave]

Looks ghastly.

I don't think we need worry anyway. I suspect Bernie will wangle a better deal from somewhere else.

[Jarnooo]

As long as they don't use the style of rim that they do on the Audi's (which is horrible)
I think it's something we will get used to very easily. The second image doesn't look
bad at all.

[MihaiVIP]

I don't mind it actually, I think it looks alright. I doubt this will happen though.

[arizal_adl]

I like... look like an RC car.

[ferrfin]

bring on Goodyear

[Zag]

You are all Dinosaurs...... init...

[Sivakis]

My humble attempt

[Zag]

Why are the rears still 13''...?

[Schuy1]

The front looks OK actually - good one Sivakis !!

Just now need the rears done!