Michelin to offer US GP refunds

[rob justice]

From the BBC website:-

Michelin to refund US spectators

Michelin in complaint to F1 boss
Michelin has offered to refund US Grand Prix fans ahead of Wednesday's disciplinary hearing involving the seven teams that refused to race.
The teams, who all use Michelin tyres, sat out Indianapolis after the company said it could not guarantee safety.

Michelin also offered to buy 20,000 tickets for the 2006 US Grand Prix to be given to this year's spectators.

The seven teams face charges of bringing the sport into disrepute and could be docked constructors' points.

A Michelin statement read: "Michelin deeply regrets that the public was deprived of an exciting race and therefore wishes to be the first, among the different groups involved in the race, to make a strong gesture towards the spectators.

"This is an important decision, since Michelin is not at all legally bound to do this."

The Michelin gesture is likely to reduce the risk of the teams - championship leaders Renault, McLaren, Williams, Toyota, Sauber, Red Bull and BAR - from being heavily sanctioned.

The governing body will always win

Max Mosley, FIA president
F1 teams 'ready to boycott races'

The teams are also less likely to take action against any penalties at Sunday's French Grand Prix.

F1 governing body chief Max Mosley says punishment could range from a reprimand to a ban for life - but he thought it would fall between those two extremes.

But Minardi boss Paul Stoddart said it would be wrong to hand out "draconian bans" and hinted at a possible boycott.

"If it emerges that the guilt of certain teams is of a certain level, then a ban will be justified," FIA president Mosley has previously said.

"There are various other possibilities - points being deducted, a fine or reprimand."

However, Stoddart countered by claiming teams would be prepared to boycott future races if the punishment meted out was deemed unjust.

"Would we race after a penalty? I think we'd have a meeting and you wouldn't guarantee it," he said.

Any points penalties would damage the championship ambitions of Renault and McLaren, as well as Williams and Toyota in joint fourth place.

Max just wants to humiliate us. I fear this is not a battle we can fight and win

Sir Frank Williams

Sauber, BAR-Honda and Red Bull are the three others teams up before the FIA world motorsport council.

The FIA considers it would not be fair to penalise the drivers as it believes they were as much victims of the circumstances as the race organisers.

But Williams team chief Sir Frank Williams suggested that any action the teams may try to take might not be strong enough.

"It will be like trying to storm a castle armed only with bows and arrows," he told Autosport magazine.

"Max just wants to humiliate us. I fear this is not a battle we can fight and win."

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway management has yet to decide what action to take.

It could include a lawsuit against F1 rights-holder Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management, or cancel the contract for the 2006 race.

And organisers might sue Ecclestone for the $13.5m (£7.5m) it cost to stage the event.

The FIA has also hinted that the way out of the deadlock would be for the seven teams, plus Michelin, to reimburse the 160,000 spectators who attended the race, a gesture that would cost in the region of $16m (£9m).

[tiorio]

"Let's have a look at the Porsche track map..."

Just staying OT

[RallyJon]

As Paul Stoddart continues to reach out to the few people on the planet who haven't yet been convinced he's a raving idiot.

[Elombard]

Hmm pretty thoughtful gesture by michelin. Maybe I will consider them for my next tire purchase after all?

[Spud]

Why do you think good ole Paul (who runs on Bridgestone tires) is always the one talking for the the Michelin teams, and talking about a walkout and such? Could it be because his is the poorest team and sitting a few races out would greatly help his finances?

[Hayabusa]

[trj911]

Good! That is the least they should do.

[Bill Douglas]

I think it's pretty big of them.

[jyl]

A classy move by Michelin.

[lateapex911]

Michelin is in F1 for........? Class?? Anyone??


MARKETING...!

OK, maybe a leeetle technology trickle down too....

But... the situation has clearly been a HUGE embarassment to the firm. a case where bad press is NOT better than no press at all.

A marketing disaster. It is not lost on the average American redneck NASCAR fan that even lowly ole' Hoosier, who can't even come up whith a half way decent looking logo or corporate color can make a competitive tire that can handle the whopping 6 degrees of banking!

Fact is, they failed to do their homework, and in a huge way. The "other guys" did, and had, of course, no problems.

The teams of course, decided amongst themselves, in collusion, to form a "union" of sorts, and make a "statement" when they COULD have raced. Don't let them sucker you into thinking that they had no choice.....they did, and they chose NOT to race....

While Michelins gesture is very stand up, I am sure they are driven by business reasons as much as anything, along with huge pressure from the teams, who are facing sanctions for their premeditated actions.

They will do what they peceive is in their best interest, which may, or may not be the "right" thing. No matter what, they won't do the right thing just because it's ........the right thing to do.