More Here: Schuey wins six-car fiasco
Due to Michelin not being able to guarantee that their tyres will hold up 7 teams (14 of the 20 cars) withdrew from the race.
The teams tried to negotiate a chicane being installed on the track for this year so that the tyres would hold up...the race chief (quite rightly) stated:
FIA Formula One race director Charlie Whiting had made the governing body's position clear earlier in the day with a letter to Michelin executives.
"As explained in our earlier letter, your teams have the choice of running more slowly in turn 12/13, running a tyre not used in qualifying (which would attract a penalty) or repeatedly changing a tyre (subject to valid safety reasons)," he said.
"It is for them to decide. We have nothing to add."
It is NOT the problem of the race officials that Michelin screwed up. Why should the Bridgestone teams (Ferrari, Jordan, Minardi) give their consent to allow this chicane to be installed? (Though, two of them did; Jordan, Minardi). It is not their fault that Michelin tyres couldn't keep the pace.
The bottom line is: Tyre choice is very important in any form of motor racing, you choose the wrong tyre for the wrong job and you loose to someone who made the right choice. 14 Teams chose Michelin as a supplier. Michelin screwed up. While this is not the fault of the teams, the three Bridgestone based teams should not have to suffer. Michelin would be lucky to have any F1 clients after the current season is over, and I wouldn't be supprised if some of the more prominent teams switched to Bridgestone within a few races.
Michelin have issued an apology. What they should do is issue a refund to all of the fans that were robbed of seeing a race. Some fans came up from Central and South America to watch a race. What they got was a circus and they deserve to have all of their costs refunded.
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