Single Tyre Proposed for MotoGP

MotoGP may go the way of Formula One and become a single tyre championship next year if the proposal adopted by Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of series organiser Dorna Sports, is adopted. Such a move would serve the purpose of cutting costs and is aimed at eliminating what many have called the current “imbalance” between Bridgestone and Michelin.

“We have made a proposal in the Grand Prix Commission meeting today to reach an agreement between all the different tyre manufacturers for the use of tyres in 2008, owing to the situation in which some factories believe that they can’t have tyres which they think are competitive,” said Ezpeleta.”We thought the best possibility is to go to a one-tyre rule, but his is only an initial proposal.”

Should the proposal be further explored, the obvious first question to arise is which company would supply the tyres. Michelin has already stated it would not be interested in staying in the championship without rival rubber to compete with, which raises the question of whether Bridgestone would step in. Whether or not such a scenario would be welcomed by Bridgestone remains to be seen. Michelin were reportedly surprised to hear word of Ezpeleta’s proposal, as the company had previously held open discussions with its Japanese rival, in which both parties indicated they preferred open competition.