Michelin motorsport boss says manufacturer could return to F1... under certain conditions.

The French company left the sport at the end of 2006, a year after the infamous race at Indianapolis at which all its runners withdrew on safety grounds.

Long courted by (FIA boss) Jean Todt, Michelin could contemplate a return to the sport, but motorsport director Pascal Couasnon admits that the sport would have to undergo some important revisions.

"We are open to it," he admitted to Italy's Autosprint. "But there are certain conditions.

"Formula One needs to change the technical regulations," he continued. "The tyre must again be a technical object rather than a tool for a spectacular show. We want 18-inch tyres that we will use in Formula E, and soon in other series.

"If Formula One takes our proposals into account, then we are prepared and we have a strong will to return," he added. "If things stay as they are, we are not interested. So we will submit our application, then it's up to Ecclestone and the FIA whether they accept or not."

At a time members of the Pitpass team, in the site's latest Podcast, suggest a tyre war would benefit the sport, Couasnon too believes tyre rivalry and revision of the rules could improve F1.

"They should have a stable performance and grip level," he said. "It is not normal for drivers to say after a few laps 'I have to slow down to save the tyres'. This should not be.

"Today Formula 1 drivers cannot show their talent because the tyres do not allow it. This happens when there is only one manufacturer and no motivation to improve. But if there is a technically interesting rulebook, then you have to develop your best product even if you are the only supplier."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Jingle, 14/05/2015 21:16

"How about providing tyres that are robust enough so that drivers can compete flat out without fear of degradation. Still continue to provide teams with two compounds per race with a wide window of operating range so that cars on different compounds will have a speed/performance differential. Then to spice up the races have a minimum of two pit stops per race (mandated by the FIA) where each team has to as now use at least one of each tyre compound per race. The FIA should also set a rule that states that teams cannot change tyres in the first ten and last ten laps of a race (except on grounds of safety) to ensure that they don't use the weaker tyre on either the first or last lap."

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2. Posted by gturner38, 13/05/2015 23:43

"I do not want another tire war. For as much grief as Pirelli has taken, their tires have made races more interesting by making it possible for someone with fresher tires to take advantage of less degradation or being on the opposite compound. Even when Bridgestone was the lone supplier, it didn't work because there wasn't enough difference between compounds and they were so consistent that a driver would need rubber that was 15 laps fresher to notice a difference. The end result will be less passing in the name of having a fight between what are ultimately parts suppliers. No one cares about a Carbon Industries vs Brembo brake war and while tires would be a more familiar subject for fans, do they really care about anything other than the teams, drivers, and engine suppliers? Even with engines, if it was Judd vs Zytec vs an unbadged Ilmor, no one would care about them either."

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3. Posted by REV77, 13/05/2015 14:13

"F1: all this fantastic high tech stuff, and still on 13 inch wheels. Crazy."

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4. Posted by Spindoctor, 13/05/2015 13:24

"I agree with the notion that tyres aren't doctored just to provide a "show", as at present. The idea of bigger tyres\wheels also appeals.

However I can see hell freezing over (or Bernie departing\shuffling off) before anything like this happens."

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Michelin open to F1 return

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