On the eve of the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris on Wednesday, Michelin has released the following press release.

"One week after the Indianapolis Grand Prix, Michelin wishes to make a sincere gesture of goodwill towards the people present at the GP, a group whose passion for F1 is encouraging in the development of this sport in the United States.

Therefore, on our own initiative and in total solidarity with our partners, we have taken two decisions:


1. Michelin has decided to contribute to the costs incurred by the spectators present at the circuit on Sunday June 19th 2005 by offering to refund their tickets. This is an important decision, since Michelin is not at all legally bound to do this.

Michelin deeply regrets that the public was deprived of an exciting race and therefore wishes to be the first, among the different groups involved in the Indianapolis race, to make a strong gesture towards the spectators.


2. Michelin also offers to buy 20,000 tickets for the 2006 U.S. Grand Prix to be given to spectators who were present at the Indianapolis race in 2005. We are offering this to promote further Formula 1 interest in the United States.



We would also like to take this opportunity to underline the fact that it is unacceptable that our partner teams have been accused by the FIA of having boycotted the Indianapolis Grand Prix. The reality is that together, Michelin and its partners have done everything possible to assure that the race could take place in total safety.

We are extremely disappointed that the proposals made with all our teams were not accepted. These proposals, including a chicane, were technically viable and totally met all safety requirements. On Sunday morning, June 19, the sporting authority had all the means necessary to preserve the interest of the race. And yet, the sporting authority rejected the proposed solutions. Why? In our view this is totally incomprehensible and reflects a lack of respect for the spectators.

It is the spirit of respect for the spectators that brought us, with our partners, to propose solutions to allow the race to take place in total safety. It is this same spirit that leads us today to make this gesture."

Press Release
Michelin

Very nice on the behalf of Michelin.

SWEET!! That's awesome. I'll get my money back now and I'll be attending next year.... free of charge. I honestly feel now as though Michelin has done their part to right the wrong. NOw any other reparations to the sport should be handled by the FIA who was the last and FINAL hurdle standing in the way of putting on the race anyways.

Excellent gesture on Michelin's part. Hopefully the fans will feel this is adequate reimbursement for the ruined weekend.

Excellent gesture on Michelin's part. Hopefully the fans will feel this is adequate reimbursement for the ruined weekend.

Not quite adequate, but very appreciated and a step in the right direction. It's good to see someone is reaching into their pockets.

On another note, my Pilot Sports will need replacing early next year :D

SWEET!! That's awesome. I'll get my money back now and I'll be attending next year.... free of charge. I honestly feel now as though Michelin has done their part to right the wrong. NOw any other reparations to the sport should be handled by the FIA who was the last and FINAL hurdle standing in the way of putting on the race anyways.
Note that Michelin offered to buy 20,000 tickets to 2006. There were 130,000+ people there. I think they are leaving the rest of the tickets up to someone else to pay for. ;)

---Eric

:buttrock

Michelin...sac'd up and took some responsibility for what happened...Good for them. I wonder how much of their sales comes from the US???Hmmm...

Anyways...Kudos to them...Class act move in my book.

Note that Michelin offered to buy 20,000 tickets to 2006. There were 130,000+ people there. I think they are leaving the rest of the tickets up to someone else to pay for. ;)

---Eric

Maybe that was their calculation of their fan base present at the Indy race :devillook

Maybe that was their calculation of their fan base present at the Indy race :devillook
...or maybe they don't expect that many people to want to return next year. :stickoutt

Regardless, F1 got a lot of advertising for next years race.

---Eric

It was a nice gesture, although they are still denying that they did anything wrong.
The 20,000 ticket move for next year was a bit interesting. Who decides on how the tickets will be distributed?
This is a very good start though, which is needed badly.
Lets just hope the FIA and the teams can works things out tomorrow.

It was a nice gesture, although they are still denying that they did anything wrong.

Are you kidding? What have you been reading? They've already admitted they screwed the pooch.

The 20,000 ticket move for next year was a bit interesting. Who decides on how the tickets will be distributed?

The funny thing is they probably buy a bunch anyway.

Lets just hope the FIA and the teams can works things out tomorrow.

I hope not. I hope Bernie and Max get their asses handed to them and they lose everything. I hope the manufacturers stick together an form a new series.

I hope not. I hope Bernie and Max get their asses handed to them and they lose everything. I hope the manufacturers stick together an form a new series.


That would kick a**.

I hope not. I hope Bernie and Max get their asses handed to them and they lose everything. I hope the manufacturers stick together an form a new series.
Mosley will probably try to divide the teams. Ban/punish some and not others. This article discusses some of the possibilities.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns15106.html

---Eric

Are you kidding? What have you been reading? They've already admitted they screwed the pooch.



The funny thing is they probably buy a bunch anyway.



I hope not. I hope Bernie and Max get their asses handed to them and they lose everything. I hope the manufacturers stick together an form a new series.

hahahahhah are you kidding me? form a new series? those guys can barely run there own teams with all the time being spent on just 1 or 2 cars!!! Do you know how many people it takes to run 1 race... working full time? Who is going to pay these people? BMW and toyota? they already have 350 poeple per team employed full time!!! That would be the single worst decision and would RUIN the F1 sport...

Excellent business desicion for Michelin brand, They save their reputation, now it handles the problem to somebody else, FIA or Teams.

That would be the single worst decision and would RUIN the F1 sport...

It's been ruined for a while.

hahahahhah are you kidding me? form a new series? those guys can barely run there own teams with all the time being spent on just 1 or 2 cars!!! Do you know how many people it takes to run 1 race... working full time? Who is going to pay these people? BMW and toyota? they already have 350 poeple per team employed full time!!! That would be the single worst decision and would RUIN the F1 sport...

Dude, where have you been? And barely run their teams? Now you're kidding.

If Penske and Patrick could do it to form CART in 78, the auto manufacturers can certainly do it today. The ONLY fly in the oinment is the FIA (Max if he's still there) could threaten everybody and anybody involved with losing their FIA license. They've done this before. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. I wouldn't under estimate the manufacturers. Without them F1 wouldn't be much more than the IRL gone global on road courses.

And like Bryan said, F1 is pretty much ruined right now.

Not quite adequate, but very appreciated and a step in the right direction. It's good to see someone is reaching into their pockets.

On another note, my Pilot Sports will need replacing early next year :D


i think its adequate and then some

First off, does anyone know the proper procedure in getting the refund? I haven't been able to find any info on it.

Secondly, who is going to be getting the 20k tickets for next year and how will they decide since there were way more people than that at the race?

I wonder if this move will raise Michelin stocks to levels above where they were before this fiasco...

First off, does anyone know the proper procedure in getting the refund? I haven't been able to find any info on it.

Secondly, who is going to be getting the 20k tickets for next year and how will they decide since there were way more people than that at the race?

I wonder if this move will raise Michelin stocks to levels above where they were before this fiasco...
There hasn't been any word about it yet (at least I haven't found anything). FIA is probably expecting the teams to purchase the remaining tickets but the teams will probably go though appeals before they make any decisions. I would expect the Michelin and anyone else contributing to the refunds will coordinate through IMS. It is very likely that the refunds won't be available until everything is settled. If IMS is asked to handle compensation then they are going to wait until everything is done. They aren't going to want to have everyone contacting them for a refund then a second time for a free ticket, etc...

---Eric

I cant wait :)

Dude, where have you been? And barely run their teams? Now you're kidding.

If Penske and Patrick could do it to form CART in 78, the auto manufacturers can certainly do it today. The ONLY fly in the oinment is the FIA (Max if he's still there) could threaten everybody and anybody involved with losing their FIA license. They've done this before. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. I wouldn't under estimate the manufacturers. Without them F1 wouldn't be much more than the IRL gone global on road courses.

And like Bryan said, F1 is pretty much ruined right now.

like i said and you didnt answer? who's gonna pay for safety crews, started, clockers, etc etc etc etc
i GUARANTEE the manufacturers would not do that. And you have those manufacturers so focused on making their team to what they deem the best... the effort and personal to start a new series would be dismal at best...

like i said and you didnt answer? who's gonna pay for safety crews, started, clockers, etc etc etc etc
i GUARANTEE the manufacturers would not do that. And you have those manufacturers so focused on making their team to what they deem the best... the effort and personal to start a new series would be dismal at best...

Are you for real? The teams have already set up a company to administer the series. The company that they have set up will take care of all of that.

Like if said, if Penske and Patrick could do it in 78, the current F1 manufacturers certainly can.

Besides, it's good business. Bernie isn't one of the wealthiest men in Great Britain from selling hair pieces. Hosting their own Grands Prix could be a great source of income.

You have no clue what you are talking about.

George,

Michelin said they were offering a gesture of goodwill which they were not obligated to do.
Michelin also stated that what the teams and Michelin did was the right thing to do.
Read thier press release.

Where did they admit to screwing anything, especially the pooch.

Michelin is NEVER going to admit to wrongdoing.

They will always state that taking the position of safety was the correct stance.

They will always state that taking the position of safety was the correct stance.

And it was...how does that equate to Michelin not owning up to their mistake?

Michelin has already admitted:

1) The tires were loaded more than their simulations predicted. IOW, they blew it.

2) Their tires were inadequate to the task and were unsafe for use.