Ken was able to respond to HummerNewbie's question faster than I did. Below is some additional background.
Ken's opinion (above) is certainly one shared by very many knowledgable people.
There are ten two-car teams. 7 teams have Michelin tires, 3 have Bridgestone. Michelin's tires couldn't withstand the stress of the last banked turn and Michelin asked to have a chicane added to slow the cars -- -- which would benefit only Michelin. The request was rejected by FIA (race organizers). The Michelin teams then offered to run with a chicane, but not be eligible to score championship points -- which would mean the cars' position on the track (what the fans see) would be meaningless. FIA told them to simply go slower in the last turn which they refused to do. These cars cost about $10 - $14 million each, they have unbelievable telemetry, and could do it IMO.
All 20 cars went around for the parade lap, but rather than proceeding to the starting grid, all 14 Michelin cars pulled into the pits. Only six cars ran the race. A major embarrassment for a world class sport I've been following for more than 40 years. Some people came from as far as South America to see the race. All the fans got ripped off.
Best regards,
George SSSS
__________________
Black 2005 Adventure Series; factory touch screen GPS w/XM radio; factory express open/close sunroof; reclining second row seats; Warn 9.5ti Multi-Mount Winch; Gobi Stealth roof rack with PIAA lights; HotShot windshield washer fluid system
|