Finally, just one tire supplier in 2008

[Ciro Pabón]

Proposals are expected before June 23 for one tyre supplier. As Michelin is probably retiring at the end of this year, we could see a Bridgestone only grid as soon as 2007. Another advantage for Ferrari... hi, hi, hi, hi....

The rules are here

Some people have complained that it doesn't give much rights to the tyre supplier: you cannot use the F1 logo, you cannot get "free" support from pilots, you only get your uniforms, trucks, tyres and driver`s "podium caps" with your logo...

But I would say they freeze the specification, so the cost of delivering the "frozen" tyres should not be high.

[m3_lover]

They say this should decrease tire testing, but we shall see. They should give it to Perilli since this will make the field fair as none of them of have used their tire, if they got the contract.

[Sodder]

I was thinking the exact same thing except with Good Year.

[RH1300S]

People say that there is not much marketing capital in a single tyre manufacturer. There is some and of course it will cost less. Every single time a picture of an F1 car gets published that tyre's name will be somewhere on the car.

When Goodyear was supplying the grid the logo was everywhere and they used the link in advertising.

The "fairness" issue is a bit of a non starter. First, the FIA should select a manufacturer on technical merit. Second, you can't feel too sorry for the Michelin teams (assuing Bridgstone will get the deal - which they may noy), some teams switched early and have taken a gamble to suffer a possible performance downturn to be higher up the learning curve in future years - is that fair on them?

[NickT]

Have to agree with m3_lover and Sodder on this one, new supplier and a level playing field

[zac510]

I don't think it's a matter of freezing the regulations - the tyre development will drop dramatically anyway without the need for freezing regulations.

The tyre manufacturer has the monopoly.

[Jason]

If this is fro 2008, then what about 2007? Michelin continues...hilarious

[manchild]

Identical tyres, identical engines, identical ECU-s, identical gearboxes, identical chassis... booooring!

[Principessa]

I think it's really stupid that they want only one tyre supplier in F1! The 2 different tyre suppliers make it interesting. Reducing costs yeah right!

[vyselegend]

This rule of a single tyre manufacturer is definitly a depressive one. As far as I remember, tyre competition has always been one of the strong side of the show, pushing performance further and further.
When the proposal was made last year, there was a poll on the "official" formula one.com website, asking fans opinion about this. I don't remember exacts numbers, but the answear was a clear NO, something about a 70% + hostile votes. I wonder why they make such polls, since once again they don't matter at all what is the result. It is even more annoying when mixed with Max's beautifull speaches about how much fan's opinions are important, blablabla. and then: Do you want this? No? ok, so let's do it!
I don't intend to bring on some rantings here, since there is a thread for it now, but how can anyone pretend switching everyone to Brigestone is not unfairly advantaging Ferrari?! Especially when the idea is coming from the biased Max.
I agree it would be more fair to bring back Goodyear in the sport, even if their long term absence could lead to a serious drop in performance for the first one or two years.

[Tp]

Tyres play too big of a factor in the performance of F1 cars, it doesn't matter if you have the most aero efficient design any more, or that you have the most powerful engine on the grid. If you don't have the right tyres you'll be nowhere.

I could even go as far as saying the reason Renault won so easily last year, was down to the poor performance of the Bridgestone's on the Ferrari's. Just look how competitive they were when the had the right tyres (Imola '05) And just imagine what would of happened if they had a competitive tyre all year long.

But Goodyear/Pirelli should become that one tyre manufacture in '08.

Who cares if there is a drop in performance it will all be relative anyway.

[kilcoo316]

Agree with the tyre rule... reasons include:

1. Testing costs dropped dramatically
2. Level playing field between teams (no outside influences now)
3. We can go back to slicks
4. Maybe see proper intermediate -> wet -> monsoon tyres brought back instead of the current farce

[dumrick]

I don't believe that, if Bridgestone becomes the single tyre supplier, the current Bridgestone teams will have that much advantage from it. Current tyres are defined in a competitive environment, and their construction and compounds could be radically different in a safe-playing, cost-reduction environment from 2008 onwards...

[Scuderia_Russ]

I was thinking the exact same thing except with Good Year.

Good Year might be ok as a sole supplier but they fell to bits (quite literally) when faced with the last F1 tyre war they were involved in.

[NickT]

F1 is about 2 championships, the Drivers and the Manufactures. With the return to a single tyre supplier it returns to its roots Now all we have to do is get rid of all of those pesky driver aides and aerodynamic packages that don't allow cars to follow each other closely