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Bib buyoff

MCSF
in ForzaMinardi.com Forum
Well, well, well. Looks like Bib is trying to gather a little positive press PRIOR to going before the FIA.

French tyre manufacturer Michelin has decided to contribute to the costs incurred by the spectators at the United States Grand Prix, the company announced in a statement.

One day before the seven Michelin-shod teams appear at a hearing in Paris to face charges of bringing the sport into disrepute, the French company has taken the voluntary initiative of offering a refund to the fans who attended Sunday's event and were left to witness a six-car race.

Michelin has also offered to buy 20,000 tickets for next year's race to be handed out to spectators present at this year's race.

The tyre manufacturer made it clear its gesture was totally voluntarily as its not legally bound to do it.

Comments

  • ThunderboltSeven
    Good for them- at least someone's willing to sack up and show some responsibility.
  • minardirule
    Good gesture on their part. It also sets the block of teams together further when going up against the FIA and will make any harsh punishment ook even worse.

    Definately squared up for the break away if things go against them, lets hope Pauls negotiated a good deal...
  • silverghost
    Who could ask more of Michelin than that?
  • Manni
    so what happens to the other 100,000 people
  • MCSF
    What about travel , lodging, rental cars etc etc. The ticket is 'tween 45 - 125 bucks.
  • Murph
    It's a gesture they had to make. I wonder just how the "refund" will be handled...... hopefully through the IMS ( who have my acount) instead of sending in a ticket stub (which I can't find)...... darn, it would have been so much simpler if Michelin had made a tire that actually been competitive for turn 13.......

    As far as travel, lodging, etc......... no way should Michelin have to pay that....... I'm just out the other $1000 for my son & meself...... and the same goes for the thousands & thousands that traveled from Latin America......
  • Lease
    Anybody notice how the Michellin press release says "be the first to offer".

    Michellin and the teams are getting very close together on this issue now, and Michellin even goes as far as to say that it is unfair for FIA to blame the teams.

    It was only a couple of days ago that I read an article that suggested that the FIA was going easy on Michellin because of their importance to the FIA governed events elswhere.

    Now it appears to be war between the Max and Michellin shoulder to Shoulder with the teams. This personal rebuke from Mr. Michellin would at any time be extraordinary:
    "I feel necessary to let you know how discontented I was of both the nature of your contentions - which are based on mere allegations - and the suspicious and inappropriate tone employed,"
    "It was brought to my attention that the 21 June 2005 correspondence was circulated widely in the press worldwide and on the Internet. Such disclosure, which contains erroneous allegations, may have damaging consequences on Michelin's reputation.
    "Over the last days, you have repeatedly blamed us in the press, directly or indirectly. Will you at least recognize publicly that we have taken a courageous, honest and transparent stance for the safety of the pilots? I hope you will be fair enough to acknowledge that Michelin, with its seven partner teams, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Formula One Management and two other teams, did the maximum to preserve a true and safe race by proposing a very serious and pragmatic alternative. This is all the opposite of a boycott!"

    So exactly who is siding with Max? These comments were directed at him, there is no mention of the FIA.

    Another little tidbit from Michellin (the company this time, not the man) in their reimbursement release that I find interesting:
    Michelin also offers to buy 20,000 tickets for the 2006 US Grand Prix to be given to spectators who were present at the Indianapolis race in 2005. We are offering this to promote further Formula 1 interest in the United States.
    Now call me a deep old file, but I reckon there is something behind this. It smacks of a contingency plan, vis an alternative championship next season if things don't work out, with the GPWC tyre supplier already selected. If you ask me, this solidarity between the teams and Michellin, which includes Stoddart, and for all his passion, he's going way beyond the bounds of ultruism in lining up with the accused, and icludes FOM, smells very deally.

    Today, Europe time, is the watershed. If the FIA does anything 'Draconian', then I believe that the GPWC will be making an announcement in regard to 2006.

    Big Call, but there it is is.

    Of course, it could always be that the FIA goes through the motions (after trying to split the teams behind closed doors of course), makes the big press release about being tough, but fair, but doesn't impose anything of any substance.

    [Edited on 29/6/2005 by Lease]
  • PistonBroke
    Didn't Red Bull sign with Berni? If they did and there is a breakaway series - then they might be in a bit of a pickle....as they can't leave and they cant join, if you know what I mean.
  • Jello_Biafra
    Only Ferrari has signed beyond 2007. Red Bull and Midland are only attending the FIA meetings that the GPWC have been boycotting.
  • Fox_Mulder
    If I was in Stoddart's shoes today and was given the choice between the teams and the FIA I know who I would choose.
  • Jello_Biafra
    Interesting bit of reasoning here... 20,000 tickets... add in 6 of the 7 teams and you have 140,000 which is the attendance figure for the USGP. That only adds up to 6 teams though of course, so maybe one refused?
  • Minardus
    The FIA responds:
    The following is a press release from the FIA in which they applaud Michelin's decision to refund spectators at the US Grand Prix, but also state that they contest the views of Michelin released yesterday.

    "The FIA welcome the announcement made by Michelin of a compensation package for the spectators of the 2005 US Grand Prix.

    However, the FIA strongly contests the version of events detailed in Michelin's press release of June 28 and rejects the views expressed in Edouard Michelin's widely publicised letter to the FIA President on June 27.

    The exchange of correspondence between the FIA President and the Chief Executive of Michelin was deliberately leaked to members of the Press, we are therefore placing the complete exchange of correspondence in the public domain.”
  • MinardiP1
    This is all going to end in tears later on today.

    Have a read at the latest on grandprix.com

    If BAR pulls out, what is the next step? Down to 18 cars... until someone else pulls out.

    The FIA needs their head read. :rolleyes:
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