Red Bull wants new Michelin deal

The Red Bull Racing Team has asked tyre manufacturer Michelin to supply its second team next season. The Minardi Team, recently bought from Paul Stoddart by Red Bull, currently uses Bridgestone tyres while Red Bull Racing runs Michelins and is committed to the French supplier in 2006.

Minardi will change into a Red Bull 'B' or junior team at the end of this year. The energy drink giant is keen to remove any obstacles to a full technical collaboration between the two squads.
Being supplied by two different tyre companies would be a significant obstacle to this ambition, limiting the amount that could usefully be gleaned by comparing or transferring car set-ups and potentially fostering secrecy and suspicion amongst the tyre manufacturers themselves.

The Red Bull 'B' team is likely to campaign a modified version of the RB1 chassis, which has been designed around Michelin tyres. Red Bull is therefore seeking an agreement with the French company to supply both teams. The one stumbling block is that Michelin has expressed its intention to slim down its order book next year and share the load more equally with Bridgestone.

Supplying both Red Bull teams next year would take its tally to six as compared with Bridgestone's four -less than this year's 7-3 split but still not parity.
Pierre Dupasquier, Michelin's Motorsport Boss “We are evaluating the situation, but no decision has been made yet.”