16/05/2006
NEWS STORY
With Michelin due to withdraw from Formula One at the end of the current season, leaving all eleven teams to run on Bridgestone rubber in 2007, Renault team boss Flavio Briatore has called for a re-think of the situation, fearing that Ferrari will have an unfair advantage.
"I believe we need to be worried about that, absolutely," the Italian told reporters in Spain at the weekend. "If we are all on Bridgestone next year, then if you use them already surely you have an advantage.
"I believe that what the Federation should be doing to be fair is they need to change the compound, they need to change the construction, they need to change completely," he added. "I don't think it is fair to give an advantage to some teams, whoever those teams are. I don't care whether it is Ferrari, I believe we need to have equal possibility to do our job."
Although Michelin is withdrawing from F1, the (sole) control tyre isn't due to be introduced until 2008. At that time, slick tyres will be introduced. However, Briatore is of the opinion that if slicks were introduced next season this would mean that no team would be starting with an advantage.
"Whatever we do, we need to do it quickly because we need to design the car," he said. "I am completely open to whatever it is. We need to be correct and we need to make sure that nobody has any advantage."
The FIA is introducing the control tyre for safety reasons and in an attempt to cut costs, as a result of less testing.
"I think it is the right way because for a million reasons we want to slow down the car," said Briatore. "Max had the possibility to control the speed of the car through the tyres, it's cheaper for us than to go to the chassis.
"But we need to be fair," he added. "We need to make sure that somebody working with Bridgestone in the last five years or whatever does not have any advantage."