19-06-2005, 06:19 AM
So that’s the grid. It now remains to be seen who races, and on what rubber, after Michelin admitted they may not be able to recommend their teams racing on their current tyres. It follows Toyota’s two tyre-related incidents on Friday, the cause of which Michelin have still been unable to pin down.
They have despatched Barcelona-specification tyres from their base at Clermont-Ferrand in France and the shipment is due to arrive in Indianapolis on Sunday morning. These tyres have stiffer sidewalls to cope with the high G loadings on the Circuit de Catalunya. However, it is not simply a matter of the FIA, via the stewards, considering a mass appeal from the Michelin runners to be allowed to substitute the new rubber.
Before practice this morning, Michelin advised teams on rear suspension camber angles and tyre pressures to alleviate chances of other cars experiencing the problems that hit Zonta and Schumacher Jnr on Friday, and nobody had any serious problems in either practice or qualifying. So some Michelin teams will want to stay with what they have, especially as they have had the chance to assess it in practice. However, some may be worried about tyre wear, which may be exacerbated by the mandated increase in tyre pressure which, in conjunction with the camber changes, has in some cases resulted in oversteer.
It is unlikely that final decisions will be taken until Sunday morning, but it is important to bear in mind that the problems have only concerned two Toyotas. Nobody else has experienced any problems. However, Renault chief Flavio Briatore said that if authorisation is not forthcoming from the FIA to switch tyres, Renault will not race.
They have despatched Barcelona-specification tyres from their base at Clermont-Ferrand in France and the shipment is due to arrive in Indianapolis on Sunday morning. These tyres have stiffer sidewalls to cope with the high G loadings on the Circuit de Catalunya. However, it is not simply a matter of the FIA, via the stewards, considering a mass appeal from the Michelin runners to be allowed to substitute the new rubber.
Before practice this morning, Michelin advised teams on rear suspension camber angles and tyre pressures to alleviate chances of other cars experiencing the problems that hit Zonta and Schumacher Jnr on Friday, and nobody had any serious problems in either practice or qualifying. So some Michelin teams will want to stay with what they have, especially as they have had the chance to assess it in practice. However, some may be worried about tyre wear, which may be exacerbated by the mandated increase in tyre pressure which, in conjunction with the camber changes, has in some cases resulted in oversteer.
It is unlikely that final decisions will be taken until Sunday morning, but it is important to bear in mind that the problems have only concerned two Toyotas. Nobody else has experienced any problems. However, Renault chief Flavio Briatore said that if authorisation is not forthcoming from the FIA to switch tyres, Renault will not race.