Motorsport: Michelin dropping out after next year

Michelin is ending its involvement with Formula One after the 2006 season following a decision by the organising body to prefer only one tyre supplier.

This leaves Japan's Bridgestone as the single supplier.

"This decision is the result of the realisation that there is a profound disagreement between the sports philosophy that has always been driving Michelin and the management practices of the F1 authorities," company boss Edouard Michelin said yesterday.

He said the uncertainty thrown up by the Formula One authorities did not give sufficient guarantees to justify long-term investments.

Michelin supplies seven of the 10 Formula One teams and Bridgestone the rest.

In 2006 they will have an equal split as Williams and Toyota are leaving Michelin.

The French tyremaker, the world's biggest, clashed with motor racing's governing body, the FIA, over the US Grand Prix fiasco in June when all of its teams failed to start due to tyre safety concerns at Indianapolis.

After consultations with its teams - McLaren/Mercedes, BMW/Sauber, Renault F1 and Honda Racing F1 - it seemed the move to one tyre supplier was "unavoidable".

Michelin could come back to the sport if the rules were changed "profoundly" in the future.

Meanwhile, Vodafone's decision to join McLaren as title sponsor from 2007 is a blow for Ferrari and a powerful vote of confidence in the future of Formula One racing.

With Formula One divided and carmakers still threatening a "rival" series from 2008, the Mercedes-powered team and mobile phone giants announced a long-term deal yesterday that could be one of the sport's biggest.

- REUTERS