Michelin Would Consider Formula One Return, CEO Says (Update1)
Nov. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Michelin & Cie. would consider a
return to Formula One if the auto-racing series reverts to
having more than one tiremaker, Chief Executive Officer Michel
Rollier said.
“Today I say we would think about it,” Rollier said in an
interview in Moscow. “The number of tiremakers which can offer
tires for Formula One is fairly limited. We will see.”
Bridgestone said Nov. 2 it will withdraw as the single
supplier after the 2010 season to cut costs of about $100
million. Michelin first entered Formula One in 1977 and ended
its most recent stint in 2006 after criticizing the plan to
switch to a single tiremaker.
The French company, which was supplying seven teams to
Bridgestone’s three, said at the time that having a single
supplier dims public interest and takes away the stimulus to
improve performance.
Michelin hasn’t had contact so far with the Formula One
ruling body Federation Internationale de l’Automobile about a
possible return, Rollier added. France’s Jean Todt, the former
Ferrari team manager, replaced English barrister Max Mosley as
president of the FIA last month.
To contact the reporters on this story:
Alex Duff in Madrid at
aduff4@bloomberg.net
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