Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner strongly opposes Michelin's novel approach to F1 tyre supply, should the French manufacturer be chosen as the sport's single supplier from 2017 to 2019.
With a tender offer on the table to deliver rubber to Formula 1, both current supplier Pirelli and Michelin are set to go head-to-head in a bid to secure the valuable contract which shall be negotiated directly with FOM's Bernie Ecclestone before getting the green light from the FIA.
Michelin has included in it technical proposal more durable tyres mounted on 18-inch rims, while current F1 rubber is run on 13-inch wheels. The French company believes its approach is more in line with modern high-performance machinery.
But Red Bull's Horner opposes any change to the current specifications, expressing doubts about Michelin's assertion that its approach will help "spice up the show".
"An 18 inch rim and a one stop is going to do nothing for the spectacle of a grand prix," Horner commented. "I think actually we need to be looking at doing the opposite: getting two- to three-stop races, controlled degradation, maybe more choice for the teams in terms of the tyres that they can take to Grands Prix, all the things that we have been talking about with Pirelli."
The Italian firm's present commitment to F1 started in 2011, and Horner considers the company's involvement has been a successful one.
"I think Pirelli have done a good job since they've been involved in the sport, they've been supportive of Formula 1 through hard times as well as the good times. And hopefully with the cars that are coming for 2017, that are going to be quite a bit different, quite a bit quicker, with tyres that are significantly different to what we have now as well, then that represents a great challenge and hopefully Pirelli will be successful with that."
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