Michelin bid for 2017 tyre contract

Tyre manufacturer Michelin have confirmed they have entered a bid to be the sole supplier in Formula One from the 2017 season.

The deadline for submissions is the 17th June, and it now looks like Michelin will go up against favourites Pirelli for the three year contract.

AUTOSPORT revealed in a interview with director Pascal Couasnon “Yes, we have entered.

“The reasoning is we’ve been proposing ideas, talking about Formula 1 and that we are disappointed, especially where it is today tyre-wise.

“If we want to be credible and consistent then you cannot complain or comment if you don’t bring solutions.

“So it has made sense for me to say if we have ideas, then let’s go and propose these ideas, and we’ll see if people are interested or not.

“At least then nobody can say to us, ‘well guys, you are talking, but you are not acting’. Now, we are acting.”

Michelin are in favour to increase the wheel size to 18 inches (the same as Formula E which they also supply), as well as longer lasting rubber.

Pirelli are the favourites though, with their more amenable approach to the support, supply tyres on demand from the sport and have already brought a number of ideas to the table, including changes for the 2016 season. Pirelli would retain the current 13 inch wheels which are favoured within the sport, although have limited relevance in the ‘real world’.

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