Pirelli to supply tyres for the WRC from 2008 to 2010

[Bede]

http://www.wrc.com/page/News/Breakin...988447,00.html

Originally Posted by wrc.com

Pirelli wins FIA tyre race

Pirelli has won the battle to be the official tyre supplier in the FIA World Rally Championship for the next three years. The Italian company saw off a bid from American rival BFGoodrich at a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris today (Tuesday).

The decision means Pirelli will supply a control tyre for all four-wheel drive cars in the championship from the start of next season.

All six teams registered for this year's world championship run on BFGoodrich tyres, although several private teams use Pirelli. Two-wheel drive cars competing in the FIA Junior Rally Championship run on BFGoodrich rubber.

BFGoodrich and parent company Michelin have between them won more WRC events but Pirelli has a heritage which includes wins in 140 world championship rallies to date.

With the FIA banning deflation-proof mousse inserts in tyres from the start of 2008, big changes in tyre activity were already planned. The decision to move to single supplier tyres extends the revolution further.

Mario Isola, Pirelli rally tyre manager, said: "This new agreement with the FIA changes the way in which we will operate. The single supplier agreement means that development can be directed into new areas, notably placing more emphasis on product reliability than sheer tyre performance.

"In addition, for Pirelli it has been a chance to widen the way we can help to promote the sport worldwide, not only through the world championship but also the IRC and the national championships as well. Pirelli also has a new young driver talent development programme. It was a disappointment for Pirelli not to be active with a registered team in the 2007 series, but today's decision by the FIA has given us new motivation," he added.

Subaru ran Pirelli tyres until the end of last season while Ford last used them in the WRC in 2002. The Citroen Xsara of Gigi Galli is running on Pirelli this year. Seven of the 17 teams on the opening round of the Production car WRC in Rally Norway, including the cars which finished first and second, used Pirelli rubber.

The development timetable for Pirelli is to make 2008-specification tyres available in June or July 2007, ready for testing from September.

[Swill]

Should be some big slides then

[MikeW]

I like this comment the best:

.......notably placing more emphasis on product reliability than sheer tyre performance.

I guess that given that tyre performance isn't their strong point this is a good thing.

[AV1611]

They were reliable last year. You could rely on the Pirelli runners to be struggling along mid field.

[Marcus]

The noise you hear is Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson committing suicide.

So..... how much money changed hands I wonder and how virgins Mosley got in sealing the deal? I bet NO team wanted this.

[Glen]

Originally Posted by Marcus

So..... how much money changed hands I wonder and how virgins Mosley got in sealing the deal? I bet NO team wanted this.

I'm sure that it costs a bomb to become the sole supplier of tyres to any world championship series.

It doesn't matter how good anyone thinks the tyre is anyway as now everyone is on the same playing field. One tyre for all , no mousse , and possibly less grip should make the competition interesting.

[Kagan]

Lets see how quickly Seb adapts. You would think that the Subaru's might be in the box seat with the experience on the tyres that lots of others don't have.

[SHEPPO R.]

its all so hard to predict.
swrt had pirelli to themselves for 2 years, and could still not either make the car work on the tyres, or pirelli make tyres that worked on the car.
after watching on the side of hills last year in nz, the wrx has SOOOO many more issues than just tyres in certain conditions (dry roads) then on day 2, it pours with rain and atko flogs them ????? go figure !!!!!...... then again in the very next stage he tore a wheel off ........ gotta have a go though.
personally, i think bugger all will change, the smartest people will build the quickest car, that never brakes, its just one less excuse to get it wrong.
the down side is that tyre development will come to a virtual halt....... why make a better tyre ??????........ no one to beat !.

go atko.

[MikeW]

It's a good thing no matter who has the contract. Look at the V8 taxis, there is no tyre talk at all and the discussions are all about the cars and the drivers, just how it should be.

[Bede]

Or maybe not...

http://www.wrc.com/page/News/Breakin...996933,00.html

Originally Posted by www.wrc.com

Michelin initiates legal actions

French tyre manufacturer Michelin has begun legal proceedings against the FIA, following the decision by motorsport's governing body to award the contract to supply tyres to the World Rally Championship from 2008 onwards to Italian rival Pirelli.

The company is requesting that the FIA World Motor Sport Council decision to make Pirelli the exclusive supplier of tyres for the next three years in the WRC be annulled. The decision was made last month, just over a week before the start of Corona Rally Mexico.

Michelin states 'irregularities in the tender process' as the cause of this legal action.

BFGoodrich, which is owned by Michelin, supplies all the registered teams in the 2007 WRC.

[Bede]

http://www.wrc.com/page/News/Breakin...006686,00.html

Originally Posted by wrc.com

A French court of first instance has dismissed Michelin's request to annul the FIA tender for the supply of tyres in the FIA World Rally Championship from the year 2008 onward due to irregularities.

The French manufacturer took legal action a few weeks ago against the FIA after they chose Pirelli as the only supplier for the series starting next year.

Michelin announced today that they intend to appeal the decision.