McLaren go2 Michelin

[sw4me 0]

I was wondering. i just have some stats on my hand and they show that but for one race Michelin's have performed below the Bridgestone's on almost all rainy tracks. Granted that the possibility of rain is just one of the factors in tyre selection, but switching to Michelin so soon...so you think it was wise on the part of Ron Dennis & the McLaren team?

Please vote for Pro Michelin and Anti Michelin and give your opinions.

Cheers! to Motorsporting!

"

[F1Babe 0]

It will certainly make things interesting from a fans point of view.

I say good on em for going with Michelin. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Next year we will see Ferrai humiliated by the West-Mclaren-Mercedes-Michelin (if you want to be mathematic, W-Mcubed )

Raikkonen will blow everyone away!

[TotalF1 SamB 0]

How can you "statistically" say that tyres haven't performed very well in the rain? That's silly.

It's awfully hard to simulate wet weather tyre testing conditions, and from one race to another, there are going to be all sorts of different nuances in the track, weather conditions, humidity, atmosphere, track content, etc, etc...the only way of making good rain and wet tyres is through race experience - the one thing Michelin are short on at the moment...and we haven't had too many wet races this season so far. Be sure that that won't be a weakness for too long, because Michelin are fast learners.

The one thing wrong with McLaren going to Michelin is that they will still be second class citizens to the Williams team, just as they were to Ferrari.

I can see them moving to the Goodyear tyres in 2003 and making those tyres their own.

[daz 0]

Keep dreaming Jens..... Ferrari will dominate until at least 2004 (assuming Schumie retires then) & by then BMW will be right up there at the top. Mclaren are on their way down at the moment and I feel that not even a change of boots is going to help their cause. Don't get the wrong impression of me though because I'd love to see a 3 way battle for the championship but I just honestly feel the Mclaren need a serious re-think b4 they'll be championship material again.

[TotalF1 SamB 0]

We'll see.

They have Adrian Newey, and Raikkonen, the wild card...

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Well I think the Michelin move was quite a serious re-think move as you say...

But anyway I dont think Goodyear have made it official that they are returning, and I also dont think they will.

Remember, Mclaren switched to Bridgestone in 1998 and left Ferrari and others MILES behind And it was Ferrari who was left second to Mclaren at Bridgestone also...

I think the Michelin move was a smart one, we'll see!

[sw4me 0]

This reply goes to SamB,

Sammy boy!, what I wanna clear up is statistically this year the Michelins have underperformed in wet conditions in most of the races. So I believe that I am right on that count.

As for your saying wet weaher experience comes only from racing, that is right, but simulation tests can be run and at least a few parameters can be evaluated. What do you think about this.

As for McLaren being second class citizens, I think you already have your reply.

Goodyear is nowhere in the scene.

[daz 0]

You could be absolutely right about Mclaren making a gr8 move over to Michelin. My point though was that most of Mclaren's problems this year have being Mechanical and not related to their tyres and this is where I think they are going to need to do some serious work to improve their reliability without sacrificing speed. If they can do that then next season is going to be packed full of entertaining races.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Next season will be better than this one I must say. I think Mclaren will definitely up their game and that Ilmor-Mercedes will give them a great engine. Before this season they said that the engine would be pure speed sacrificed for some reliability, and in a straight line it has performed (DC and Mika were setting speed records in Monza and at Hockenheim) but not in reliability.

[daz 0]

After Indy it looks like I'm going to have to eat my words about Hakkinen/Mclaren.....

[TotalF1 Jens 0]