Horner backs Pirelli over Michelin

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner wants Pirelli to remain as F1 tyre supplier instead of a switch to Michelin.

The FIA opened up a new tyre tender this year as Pirelli’s current contract expires at the end of 2016. With both Pirelli and Michelin submitting proposals, the FIA has approved either manufacturer and it is now down to Bernie Ecclestone to decide which is his preferred supplier.

In Friday’s FIA press conference, a number of team bosses said they do not mind who gets the contract as long as it is the best one commercially, but Horner says Pirelli has shown the right approach to try and help the sport deliver entertaining racing.

“Well, I think what we’re basically saying is that whoever pays the most cash will sit here and say we love and think they should be the right supplier for Formula One,” Horner said. “But I think it does go a bit beyond that.

“An 18 inch rim and a one stop is going to do nothing for the spectacle of a Grand Prix and 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’re talking about.

“I think Pirelli have done a good job since they’ve been involved in the sport, they’ve been supportive of Formula One 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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