Michelin May Not Leave F1 After All

SpeedTV.com has reported that McLaren boss, Ron Dennis, has hinted that Michelin’s announced withdrawal from F1 might not be definitive. Dennis said that the French company might change its position and continue into 2007 for what is supposed to be the last season of tyre competition. “Bridgestone has opened discussions with the teams and us as well. But I think there’s also some indication that it may change. We are not at this stage focusing on next year’s tyre supply. At the moment we’re very comfortable that Michelin have done a very good job.

“Of course we’re looking at two Ferraris on the front row on Bridgestone, and it’s a little confusing to see the pace of the other teams on Bridgestone, so we don’t know where we are. But I think Michelin has done a very good job, and we’d love them to continue, and I don’t think that is beyond the realms of possibility,” Dennis is reported to have said.

On the day the Michelin clad Renault of reigning world champion, Fernando Alonso, won the opening Formula One grand prix of the season. However the race was described as a wheel-to-wheel battle with Michael Schumacher’s Ferrari (Bridgestone) and Kimi Raikonnen’s McLaren (Michelin) taking second and third place respectively.

Following the race Fernando Alonso predicted that this year’s F1 title competition was a four-horse race. “There are four teams fighting for victory at any circuit,” Alonso said. “Any of them can win races and this makes the start of the season especially very interesting.” Renault’s engineering director, Pat Symonds, agreed and commented: “It was a thrilling race. It showed us that there is going to be a lot of close and exciting racing this year.”