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Red Bull Minardi to Michelin

Ger
in ForzaMinardi.com Forum
From autosport-

Red Bull Racing's junior team will make the switch to Michelin tyres next season if a request from the team's owner is successful, Autosport-Atlas has learned.

Although the current Minardi outfit were expected to remain with Bridgestone for 2006, sources have revealed that new owners Red Bull have asked Michelin for them to be supplied with the French rubber next year instead.

Such a move is logical for the two Red Bull teams, who are likely to share as much technical knowledge as possible from the start of next season.

Were the outfits to be on different tyres, then it would limit the crossover of knowledge available from tests and development work. Michelin and Bridgestone engineers would also be concerned about their tyre data possibly finding its way to the rival team.

There is also the likelihood of Red Bull's junior team running development versions of this year's RB1 chassis next year - which has been designed around Michelin tyres.

Michelin are now considering whether a supply of their tyres to the Red Bull junior team makes sense. Earlier this season the company made it clear that they wanted to supply less teams than the seven they have worked with this season.

Under current plans Michelin and Bridgestone will both supply five teams each, but should the Red Bull junior team switch camps then it would mean Michelin will supply six outfits compared to Bridgestone's four.

Michelin's motorsport boss Pierre Dupasquier told Autosport-Atlas: "We are evaluating the situation, but no decision has been made yet."

Comments

  • MCSF
    Wll they are calling it Junior Team in the article - not a good sign for our cause. But a switch to Michelin could go either way - yes they were a better tire (except for Indy of course) but that says nothing about progress that will certainly be made by both camps over the winter.

    i say Goodyear and Pirelli need to come back and really shake things up!
  • TasM
    If minardi make the switch to Michelin tyres next season , doesn't that suggest the current development program for the PS05 will go out the window also as this car was developed for Bridgestone tyres.

    I think this request has been made to facilitate the use of the 2005 RBR car for minardi in 2006. There goes our development program. :(
  • Minardus
    to facilitate the use of the 2005 RBR car for minardi in 2006
    Isn't that illegal ?
  • OleBenny
    I think there are plans to change those rules.

    Anyway, they could use an updated 2005 RBR car, and claim it as completely new. Sauber run an almost complete copy of a year old Ferrari, so I doubt an almost complete copy of the 2005 RBR car would be illigal.

    Switching to Michelin for both teams is the natural thing to da as they want to build on their old data. I also believe that a modified 2005 RBR will be more competitive than this years Minardi.
  • Jello_Biafra
    The customer chassis regulations look to be set to stay for the new Concorde. Even Ronzo, who wants a Jr. Team, opposes customer chassis. Red Bull is, as far as I know, the only one supporting it.
  • TasM
    As Benny said, Sauber ran a copy of a year old TOIT. RBR will do the same.
  • Jello_Biafra
    I seem to recall Craig Scarburough saying after 2004 that the car was actually more Sauber designed than Ferrari.
  • MCSF
    Yes - TOIT would NEVER give away a complete set of plans to anybody. Plus, if it were a "copy" complete with TOIT lump and gearbox don't you think they would have done a better job?
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