michelin takes the heat

  • Thread starter Thread starter westwood
  • 20 comments
  • 924 views
W

westwood

Messages
91
[28/06/05 - 19:27]

Michelin to contribute to US spectator costs
Company to purchase 20,000 tickets for fans...



Photo F1-Live.com
Michelin react to calls for compensation
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



glad to see them step up and take responsibility for their end in this whole deal.
 
But I doubt by any means it is an end.

The bloody FIA will probably still continue to punish the teams that did not compete.
 
A clever move, PR-wise, from Michelin, all credit to them, but has there been any word as to their future as a tyre supplier in F1?
 
So Michelin offers to buy 20,000 tickets for the 2006 U.S. Grand Prix. So the fans will be happy now. But what about the teams? :dunce:
 
I suppose its a thoughtful gesture considering what happened. However, I'm left clueless as to how I would go about getting tickets for 2006 through Michelin since I was at the race. That press release mentions no specific details about how to do so.
 
so 20,000 tickets are available for 2006, how many people would have been at the track race day, 100-150 thousand. That is just going to make the people who miss out even more pissed off.
 
Mclaren_Man
so 20,000 tickets are available for 2006, how many people would have been at the track race day, 100-150 thousand. That is just going to make the people who miss out even more pissed off.
Click to expand...

its a free ticket, they already are getting a refund.

and as for getting your refund i would contact IMS.
 
so let me get this straight...they are refunding all (let's say) 150 thousand people, but buying tickets for the 20 thousand who stayed the entire race?

that actually means they're buying 170 (200) thousand tickets. good move...unless they're planning to make up for the loss by raping you for their pilots.
 
Excellent PR move by Michelin; they need to save face now, and they're making a great effort to do so. I bet Tony George is thrilled by this move too!
 
Wonder if it will have any effect on the possible punishment that could be incured by the teams.

Blake
 
Strong and necessary move, I like it.
Hopefully there will be a USGP in 2006.
 
DeuceOfClub
Strong and necessary move, I like it.
Hopefully there will be a USGP in 2006.
Click to expand...
I consider the USGP to be the worse of the season, hope they choose a better track.

IA
 
katana87
I consider the USGP to be the worse of the season, hope they choose a better track.

IA
Click to expand...


  • I would assume you don’t live in the U.S. and,
  • I didn’t say anything about Indianapolis. But I would like to see a USGP.
 
katana87
I consider the USGP to be the worse of the season, hope they choose a better track.

IA
Click to expand...


Now i dont live in the US but i still think that it is an alright track, i mean the infield is crap for sure. But the long straight going down into turn one is awesome, and it is one of only a few tracks where if you have a faster car you can actually get passed.
 
[02/07/05 - 12:34]

Ecclestone sees bright side of US fiasco
Happy in the end that Michelin did not race



Photo F1-Live.com
Ecclestone speaks of the US Grand Prix
Formula One commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone on Saturday praised French tyre suppliers Michelin for their dignity in adversity and looked on the bright side of Formula One's American fiasco in Indianapolis.

Ecclestone, who is in charge of organising the sport's calendar and ensuring a full grid for the race promoters, said he felt relieved that, in the end, the seven 'rebel' Michelin-tyred teams refused to race on safety grounds.

Only six cars took part in the race, won by defending world champion Michael Schumacher in a Ferrari.

Ecclestone said that, on reflection, he was pleased that the risk was not taken by the Michelin teams because he feared that if there had been an accident, it may have been fatal.

"I am pleased in a lot of ways that we didn't race, had we done that maybe those tyres wouldn't have lasted - even with a chicane or two chicanes," Ecclestone said. "Maybe they were just not up to it, so maybe one of the other corners we would have had the same problem. I think we could easily have lost somebody there so maybe we got lucky."

"You have to look to the good in anything, even with the bad you have to look to the good. There's nothing really positive expect we could have learned a lesson from this, that's a about it."

"I think if we do our job right, help promote the race and Michelin get behind us, which I'm sure they will, we will see it much bigger. The bottom line really and truly is no-one wanted to deceive anyone," he added.

"In the end the bottom line was there were no options. The way things have been dealt with, especially by Michelin, has been really good. They have stood up like men and said 'we made a mistake and we are prepared to pay for it'.

"There were no options - if there were we would have taken them. Everybody did what they thought was the right thing to do and with hindsight it probably was. We are sorry, we are there to entertain."

Source AFP




im speechless?
 
I'd have to find the article again - but I read the *real* reason they didn't run was because in the Great State of Indiana:

"Knowingly performing a risky LIFE-THREATING action, is punishable by law" (or something like that)

In other words, had they raced, knowing it was dangerous and/or could have caused serious bodily harm or a fatality, they would have broken the law EVEN IF something didn't happen.

Go figure eh?

UMP
 
So you're not allowed to ride a skateboard or even cross the road in Indiana?

Go figure eh? :rolleyes:

Blake
 
UrsaMajorPrime
I'd have to find the article again - but I read the *real* reason they didn't run was because in the Great State of Indiana:

"Knowingly performing a risky LIFE-THREATING action, is punishable by law" (or something like that)

In other words, had they raced, knowing it was dangerous and/or could have caused serious bodily harm or a fatality, they would have broken the law EVEN IF something didn't happen.

Go figure eh?

UMP
Click to expand...

theres no such law. there is a law against attempted suicide. which is what your reffering to, and nearly every state in the union has such a law. but things like motor racing are most certainley not included that.
 
westwood
theres no such law. there is a law against attempted suicide. which is what your reffering to, and nearly every state in the union has such a law. but things like motor racing are most certainley not included that.
Click to expand...
Woo-hoo! I can continue to walk blindly into traffic! Woo-hoo!
 
Solid Lifters
Woo-hoo! I can continue to walk blindly into traffic! Woo-hoo!
Click to expand...
It would be a crime to humanity to stop you.

:lol:

Blake
 
FIA SENATE MEETING
14.07.2005
Following receipt of a dossier of new evidence relating to events at the 2005 United States Grand Prix submitted to the FIA by BAR, McLaren, Renault, Sauber, Toyota and Williams, the FIA Senate met in Monaco on 14 July. Ron Dennis attended the meeting, having been appointed representative of six Michelin teams. He was accompanied by Christian Horner from Red Bull Racing.

Having examined the new evidence and discussed it with Mr Dennis and Mr Horner, the Senate was satisfied that the teams were contractually bound to follow the instructions of their tyre supplier and that their tyre supplier had expressly prohibited them from racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in its licensed configuration. Recognising that for both sporting and legal reasons it was impossible for the FIA to authorise a change to the circuit configuration and that both the FIA and the teams could have faced serious legal difficulties in the United States had they not observed to the letter their respective rules and contractual obligations (particularly had there been any kind of accident), the Senate was of the view that having regard to this new evidence, disciplinary proceedings against the teams had ceased to be appropriate and were no longer in the interest of the sport.

The Senate will therefore recommend to the World Motor Sport Council that the guilty verdict of 29 June against the teams be cancelled. It is anticipated that this recommendation will be put to the World Motor Sport Council by means of a fax vote in the next few days.



FIA WORLD MOTOR SPORT COUNCIL
DECISION
22.07.2005
Having examined the new evidence previously submitted to the FIA Senate, the FIA World Motor Sport Council has voted overwhelmingly to accept the recommendation of the FIA Senate regarding events at the 2005 United States Grand Prix.

The guilty verdicts of June 29 made against the seven Michelin teams have therefore been cancelled.


1__dot.gif
 
Back