New F1 Tire Supplier to be Announced in July

• Written by: RACER staff
• Paris, France – 5/22/2006

The FIA has opened up the bidding process for a single tire supplier to Formula 1, part of the new cost-saving regulations set to be introduced in the sport for the 2008 season.

Bids for the initial three-year contract - from '08 through '10 - must be submitted by the deadline of June 23, with a final decision from the governing body expected to be announced on the following month.

Bridgestone, current suppliers to Ferrari, Williams, Toyota, Midland and Super Aguri, are widely regarded as favorites to win the single-supplier contract. Their rivals Michelin, providers of McLaren, Renault, Honda, BMW, Red Bull and Toro Rosso, have been at odds with the FIA since last year's USGP debacle. As of now, in fact, Michelin claims it will withdraw from the sport by this season's end, effectively making Bridgestone the sole supplier already for the '07 campaign.

Other companies, such as Pirelli and Yokohama, have previously been speculated as possible rivals to Bridgestone in the bidding process - and even a comeback attempt by Michelin for '08 isn't entirely discarded. Whichever company wins will have to provide the new tire specs - four in all, with only two different ones allowed to each team on each GP - by September 1, 2007.

have Michelin placed a bid????

have Michelin placed a bid????

kipi19

By the sounds of it, Michelin has done nothing for the bid. If they have I don't think it would be given any thought because of the bad standings they have with the FIA. I'm almost 100% sure Bridgestone will end up winning the contract in the end no matter who ends up putting a bid in.

I'm not very deep into F1.. more motogp fella... can someone explain how a single tire supplier would cut costs to for the cars?  Don't the tire companies eat their shipping, handling, and R&D costs themselves in order to sell more tires to the public?  In motogp, it is very interesting to see competition between tire companies...

I'm not very deep into F1.. more motogp fella... can someone explain how a single tire supplier would cut costs to for the cars?  Don't the tire companies eat their shipping, handling, and R&D costs themselves in order to sell more tires to the public?  In motogp, it is very interesting to see competition between tire companies...

MotoGP74

Well, since all teams use the same tire, they do not have to make extensive testing. This would definitely make the tires slightly cheaper. Or, that is what i think :?

[QUOTE="MotoGP74"]

I'm not very deep into F1.. more motogp fella... can someone explain how a single tire supplier would cut costs to for the cars?  Don't the tire companies eat their shipping, handling, and R&D costs themselves in order to sell more tires to the public?  In motogp, it is very interesting to see competition between tire companies...

Napster06

Well, since all teams use the same tire, they do not have to make extensive testing. This would definitely make the tires slightly cheaper. Or, that is what i think :?

Not being that heavily into F1 I was pondering the same thing about a day ago. My guess would be that the tire company will not have to spend so much money on making the best tire, better then the other provider, out there thus lowering the cost to the teams purchasing the tires. But that is completely a guess on my part.

Hmmm...I like Bridgestone and Michelin being the sole two suppliers...I don't want Pirelli etc...To come into play