Highlights

Briatore fears 2007 tyre rules favour Ferrari

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-17 10:24

LONDON, May 16 -- Renault team boss Flavio Briatore fears Michelin's departure from Formula One at the end of the year could give Ferrari an advantage in 2007 unless the governing body steps in.

"I believe we need to be worried about that, absolutely," he told reporters in Spain at the weekend when asked whether he was concerned about the situation.

"If we are all on Bridgestone next year, then if you use them already surely you have an advantage."

Champions Renault use Michelin tyres but the French company is pulling out after the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) and teams agreed there should be a single supplier only from 2008.

Renault's Formula One managing director Briatore (L) celebrates with Formula One world champion Alonso after winning the Spanish GP in Montmelo, near Barcelona, May 14, 2006.[Reuters]

Ferrari, constructors' champions for six years in a row with Bridgestone until last season, have long had a special relationship with Bridgestone who this year also took on Toyota and Williams and want to stay long-term.

Briatore said the FIA must ensure the tyres Bridgestone produced for all next year were unlike anything they had previously provided to their existing teams.

"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 said.

"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," added the Italian.

The FIA argues that switching to a single supplier will make Formula One fairer, safer and less expensive because there will be less need for testing and races will not be decided by one brand having the upper hand over another.

"I think it is the right way because for a million reasons we want to slow down the car, whatever," said Briatore

"(FIA president) Max (Mosley) 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.

"We need to make sure that somebody working with Bridgestone in the last five years or whatever does not have any advantage."

Briatore said he would be delighted to see the slick tyres of old, which could return in 2008 as part of a far greater overhaul of the rules after the expiry of the current Concorde Agreement.

"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. Only that."