Michelin Suggests Sharp Kerb Caused Blowout

Only a matter of days after Michelin said it will launch an enquiry into the events of the Belgian Grand Prix, the F1 tyre supplier has suggested a reason why its tyres appeared to fail. According to motorsport websites, Michelin are suggesting that a sharp entry kerb on the way into Spa’s ‘La Chicane’ was to blame for the tyre blowouts. F1 project manager Pascal Vasselon said analysts worked through Sunday night to study the remains of the shattered right rear tyres. Mr Vasselon admitted that there was some doubt because race tyre are often “badly damaged” when a puncture or a structural failure occurs.

Meanwhile it has also emerged that Ferrari opted to go slower because it knew that the Spa-Francorchamps course would stretch tyres to the limit, according to Ferraris’ Jean Todt. “Performance brings a certain risk, which we didn’t want to take on a circuit as quick as Spa,” said the Ferrari principal.

Jenson Button, whose rear Michelin let go at 200mph on Sunday, complained that it was a “serious problem” that “needs to be sorted out. Not before the Italian GP but before the Monza [test session].”

During the race McLaren’s David Coulthard, Williams’ Juan Pablo Montoya and Jenson Button of BAR all suffered problems with their rear tyres. At the time Michelin motorsport director, Pierre Dupasquier, said: “We are obviously looking into the three incidents. In each case the right rear was affected and that suffers the least severe loads around a lap of Spa. It is bizarre to have three apparently similar problems and our analysts are already investigating the cause. We will find out the root cause.”

BAR team boss Dave Richards told the BBC that he has urged Michelin to sort out the problem ahead of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. “It’s no coincidence that a number of the Michelin runners had problems and we need to have an investigation and get the experts on it before Monza, which is another high-speed track,” said Richards. “We thought it could be the kerbs at the Bus Stop, but Jenson wasn’t sliding over them. It’s a bit of an unknown.”