Michelin tires are in serious trouble at IMS. Secondary compounds are right now on the way to the Speedway from France.
However, there currently exists no "within the rules" way to pre-emptively mount them on Michelin team cars.
The F1 safety factor will perhaps be invoked prior to the race.
No all you ignorant race fans and team owners and tire suppliers just don't understand, this rule is in place for SAFTEY reasons.
INDIANAPOLIS - (June 19) The intensive investigations that have been undertaken in the last 24 hours by our laboratory and technical teams in France and the Untied States concerning the incidents that occurred on the Toyota cars during the free practice test of Friday, have allowed Michelin to reach the following conclusions.
Given the combination of oval exit speed of the F1 cars and the subsequent down forces experienced by the tires Michelin is not able to guarantee that such incidents would not reoccur during race conditions, and therefore Michelin is not able to guarantee the total safety of the drivers.
As a result, Michelin, in total agreement with our partner teams has asked the FIA that a chicane, allowing the reduction of car speed be installed at the entrance to the oval.
In this condition the Indianapolis F1 GP would be able to take place with tires that we used during the qualification.
This proposition answers three Michelin objectives: The safety of the drivers, the support of our partner teams and the interest f the race for the F1 fans.
Since all the teams have their test drivers and spare cars there, I say put in the chicane, mount the new tires and allow everyone (including the Bridgestone teams) to run their test drivers for a half hour. Then allow them to change their setups and go race.
Then............allow no whining.
This way, the tires could be tested while no one is there in the stands to get hurt and the teams can get properly set up to race. As far as the gear ratios, they can just plug the data into their laptops and come up with the right ratio no problem.
Since this ends up being such an exceptional and wierd race, alow tire changes for everyone, including the Bridgestone runners. Give them a half hour pitstop practise to brush up on the skills. Waive the two-race engine rule for the next race.
Of course, all of this is too simple and they won't do it.
"Is that my *** that I smell burning?" ... Helmet Stogie from "Death spasms of the Mabuchi"
Screw all that....
Just like at the short tracks
Run what ya brung...
Sit down
Strap in
Shut up....
Get after it...
I keep reading that one of the concerns is Lawsuits, There needs to be a law in this country. NO LIABILITY at race tracks, Everyone evens fans inculded. NO LAWSUITS. Then track carrys a medical policy for anyone that should get hurt and thats it.
Everyone that walks in a track knows there is the possiblity of injury or death.
No one ever said racing was SAFE...
Heywood
Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and they won't bother you for weeks.
And now Michelin has officially withdrawn!
"The human race does not have a very good record of intelligent behavior." - Stephen Hawking, The Universe In A Nutshell
I believe that's basically what FIA has relayed to Michelin. Bridgestone-shod cars are prepared to race.Originally posted by Heywood~n~FLA
Screw all that....
Run what ya brung...
Sit down
Strap in
Shut up....
Get after it...
And maybe kill someone by negligence. They know they have some sort of problem, even it it's just limited to the Toyotas. If they go out there without making a proactive safety change, or at least make the appearance of one, they will look collossally, and even criminally neglegent in a court of law, especially if a fan gets hurt.Originally posted by Heywood~n~FLA
Screw all that....
Just like at the short tracks
Run what ya brung...
Sit down
Strap in
Shut up....
Get after it...
Yeah, well good luck with that. Everyone in this country is a potential victim and the lawyers like it that way. If everyone wasn't so victimized by every little stinking thing there might be a chance one day that personal responsibility is the law, but don't hold your breath.I keep reading that one of the concerns is Lawsuits, There needs to be a law in this country. NO LIABILITY at race tracks, Everyone evens fans inculded.
Good luck getting the lawyers to pass that law.NO LAWSUITS.
Who is going to pay for that? It's a nice idea, but the cost would be staggering.Then track carrys a medical policy for anyone that should get hurt and thats it.
There are policies for that now, but if the insurance company is the one required by law to accept the whole liability, the costs would be astronomical.
No. Everyone is a victim.Everyone that walks in a track knows there is the possiblity of injury or death.
That's why it can't be risked. If there is an accident today after the much publicized problem Johnny Cockran would crawl out of his grave to get a piece of it and Jesse Jackson would be there too. Every scumbag ambulance chaser in the country couldn't wait to start shuffling paper and screwing people.
Michelin have screwed up big time but at least they have had the integrity to be open with the problems.
There is no way that Michelin will want there partner cars to run, knowing there is a potential SERIOUS safety issue.
Afterall, would you fly in an aeroplane, knowing that the tail structure could fail on take off? No you wouldn't, if you've got a brain.
This is a sad day for F1, F1 in USA and F1 fans worldwide, no matter what happens today, in 20 minutes.
Some might say penalise Michelin. I say my heart agrees but my head doesn't. If you were to go down that route, then thats when you get 'cover ups'. That is even more dangerous.
Agreed. It's not like this is the first race on this circuit. How they can come to the track without tires that can handle it is beyond me.Michelin have screwed up big time
And my 911 has Michelins Pilots on it (still think they are awesome).
I'll never buy a set of Michelin's for any of my cars. They obviously have incompetent buffoons working in their R&D department since they came to Indy so totally unprepared with such horrific tires. I'm sure not going to have my family running around on those death traps.
I commend them for not wanting to get any of their drivers killed as a result of their worthless tires, but they've shown themselves to be a third rate tire company.
"they(NASCAR fans) know the difference between George Mack and Tony Stewart" - hdolan 8/31/02
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks