NOVEMBER 25, 2000

Head concerned over Michelin

PATRICK HEAD, technical director at BMW-Williams, believes that Michelin will have their work cut out to compete with tire rivals Bridgestone, when the French manufacturer returns to Formula One next year.

BMW-Williams will be using the Michelin tires in 2001, while Ferrari and McLaren will stick with Bridgestone, and Head believes that Bridgestone have made a lot of progress in recent years.

He said: "Towards the end of the season Bridgestone certainly raised the performance level and I'm certain in 2001 they will raise it even further. For Michelin it's going to be a quite steep wall that they are going to have to climb to get on the same sort of level."

Head indicated that Michelin's lack of knowledge of the renovated Grand Prix circuits will also affect their performances next season.

He added: "I think inevitably you'd have to say there is going to be more chance that Michelin will get the tire compound for a particular track and a particular condition wrong more times next year than Bridgestone will."