Whether Michelin consiously took tyres to Indy which weren't up to the job is a question I can't answer.

The fact that the Michelin-supplied teams withdrew their teams on the grounds of safety I believe was the right thing to do, but they shouldn't have been forced to do it as late or in the way they did.

I don't think that the teams themselves can be faulted on these grounds. They received advice from Michelin that there was a high probablility of tyre failure, and I imagine that they didn't want to have another Senna/Ratzenberger situation on their hands.

Their suggestion to install a chicane (however much it may have dulled the experience) would have made the corner safe enough was even supported by two of the remaining non-Michelin teams. Team Ferrari-Ecclestone were the only objectors.

The counter suggestion from the powers that be to slow down through the high-speed turn 13 was frankly ludicrous. These cars contain racing drivers who (like them or not) only know how to go flat out. It's like asking a centre forward to try not to score too many goals in a particular game.

Frank Williams, owner of one of the affected teams, has publically absolved Ferrari of any blame for not accepting the chicane recommendation, saying it was within their rights to do so.

From the perspective of a viewer, however, if it mean't the difference between a temporary modification to the track reducing the risks of seeing grand prix drivers becoming one with a concrete wall and a farcical race with only 6 cars starting, I would have been happy to see former.

Having said all that my interest in F1 has wained over the years and has taken a back seat to seeing the motorcycle racing on Eurosport. Rarely do you have the processions seen in F1 races nowadays and they races are infinitely more entertaining (as are the participants).

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by gobstopper
I don't think that the teams themselves can be faulted on these grounds. They received advice from Michelin that there was a high probablility of tyre failure, and I imagine that they didn't want to have another Senna/Ratzenberger situation on their hands.

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But they did get the choice to race on the other set of tires. They would be punished for that but the FIA did say that they wouldn't be disqualified. They also got the option to make 6 pitstops to replace the tires as Michelin said they couldn't do more than 10 laps. Which all are safe options.

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Their suggestion to install a chicane (however much it may have dulled the experience) would have made the corner safe enough was even supported by two of the remaining non-Michelin teams. Team Ferrari-Ecclestone were the only objectors.

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Putting a chicane in at the last moment without drivers being able to adjust their cars would be totally unfair. Not only would it hurt the Bridgestone teams but it would also hurt all the teams that had gone for the option of going full speed on the oval and losing some time on the inside track. And of course Jordan & Minardi didn't object as they will end on the last 2 places in the championship whatever happens. Even with the cars speed limited or pitting 6 times they would probably still have ended up last Even if all the teams had agreed upon it the FIA still has to agree and they said beforehand they wouldn't put a chicane in.

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The counter suggestion from the powers that be to slow down through the high-speed turn 13 was frankly ludicrous.

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Or use different tires (get penalized) or change tires like 6 times. So they did have some options. Sure the options aren't very attractive for teams and drivers but what do you expect? You messed up as a team as you weren't able to deliver a working car and you should be penalized for that. Nobody said ooh lets do 4 qualifying laps because those poor Bridgestone drivers are at a disadvantage because their tires don't perform very well until they have driven 3 laps.

In my opinion Michelin made a huge mistake. They worked on the edge and went over it. However I think the team where a bit childish because they had a solution which would hurt them the least but where denied that and than bailed out completely although they still had some options (not attractive ones). And Ferrari....... well they didn't agree to a chicane because it was the best thing for them to do and it was their good right to do so (honestly would anyone have expected anything less from Ferrari? )

In my eyes Michelin made a mistake which hurt the teams but the teams are the ones who spoiled it for the fans. The FIA just plays by the rules it has made and I think was pretty leniant in the options given to the teams to still be able to drive (which wouldn't hurt the bridgestone teams).

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by Chambler
But they did get the choice to race on the other set of tires. They would be punished for that but the FIA did say that they wouldn't be disqualified. They also got the option to make 6 pitstops to replace the tires as Michelin said they couldn't do more than 10 laps. Which all are safe options.

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The problem with this is that the new tyres Michelin bought over were also not guaranteed to cope. Michelin were not happy for ANY tyres to be used on that corner. Also although they said the tyres could do UPTO 10 laps Michelin said that the tyres could go after 1 lap or 10 - hence racing at all on the tyres was not an option.

The chicane was not really an option on the day. If it was going to happen it should have happened the day before to at least give drivers a chance to get used to it. The fact that so many people could not reach a sensible conclusion that allowed a race to take place is beyond me.

Why not put the chicane in the day before, allow the race to happen but tell Michelin teams they will be heavily punished (fines/points detucted etc) OR (and this is simply an idea off the top of my head) award the Bridgestone teams the points BEFORE the race and cal that the result of the USA Grand Prix then put in the Chicane and have a "bonus" race. That way Ferrari get the 18 point advantage they wanted (and to be fair deserved) but fans still get to see a proper race.

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by Gobstopper
Rarely do you have the processions seen in F1 races nowadays and they races are infinitely more entertaining (as are the participants).

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To be fair whilst that is true of last season his season has seen very few processions and has been extremely exciting.

I can't wait to go to Silverstone in 3 weeks!!!

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by Kneon Light
Why not put the chicane in the day before, allow the race to happen but tell Michelin teams they will be heavily punished (fines/points detucted etc) OR (and this is simply an idea off the top of my head) award the Bridgestone teams the points BEFORE the race and cal that the result of the USA Grand Prix then put in the Chicane and have a "bonus" race.

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... which, funnily enough, was pretty much what was on the table. The proposal was to have the chicane and the Michelin teams score no points.

Of course there's all kinds of politics going on in the background - like the possible break-away championship in 2008 - so the motivations of the people involved in the decision making process is mixed up. The fact is that F1 is full of egotistical vvankers who can't see beyond their own self interests to make a decision for the good of the sport.

I'm with Gobstopper. F1 is dull as dishwater. If you want real racing then look at MotoGP. If F1 disappears up it's own exhaust pipe it wouldn't worry me in the slightest.

MotoGP rocks