P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Why tyre wars have largely become a thing of the past in motorsport
According to Kees van der Grint, a long-serving Bridgestone engineer, the departure of Michelin from Formula 1 in 2006 marked a significant moment in motorsport history, as competition between tire companies has since been disappearing in various racing categories around the world. Many leading international and national series today have single-supplier deals and prefer not to have tire competition. Formula E, for example, emphasizes sporting equality and believes that a tire war would go against the principle of fair competition. The World Rallycross Championship has also been a single-supplier series since its formation, and even with its partner Cooper closing down, it plans to continue with a single-supply deal. However, van der Grint, a fan of competition, believes that introducing tire competition in Formula 1 in 2023 would be great for the sport, as it could bring unpredictability and benefits similar to Damon Hill’s surprising win in Hungary in 1997. Ultimately, the decision to have a tire war depends on various factors beyond the on-track show.
Source: motorsport
