Michelin to replace Pirelli in Formula 1 if Red Bull walks away

Paul Hembery

It looks like Michelin may get its chance to be the F1 tire supplier again as they have been campaigning to do. Paul Hembery claims Pirelli would consider leaving Formula 1 should Red Bull and Toro Rosso drop out.

"It would make us think very heavily, yes," said motorsport director Hembery when asked by AUTOSPORT whether Pirelli would consider its future if the two teams exited.

"To lose two high quality, well-funded, professional teams – and I can't imagine there would be immediate replacements, even though we have Haas entering next year – then you are going to be worried.

"I know people say teams come and go, but we are talking about a very serious investment made over a significant number of years by Red Bull, and from our point of view, it would weaken the sport dramatically.

"For us, they are two very important teams.

"We admire what they've done for the sport in terms of driver development; they work at grassroots, bringing drivers through to Formula 1, from Sebastian Vettel to the four talents they have this year.

"They're also a team that goes outside of the Formula 1 circus to promote the sport, they invest significant sums of money in going to new locations, taking F1 to the streets of cities that don't stage F1 to try and create interest.

"So from our point of view, as a sponsor, any risk of losing both those teams would be a significant disaster for Formula 1."