Well, that's a bit unfair on the Michelin teams, I think, given that the FIA refused to let them switch tires without penalty, and would not say in advance (read Charlie Whiting's letters to Michelin) what the penalty would be if tires were switched; Whiting's letters indicated penalties up to disqualification were possible.Jim Watt wrote: Clearly what happened .. was that the Michelin teams threatened to pull after the parade lap unless they got their way and, rather than publishing their outrageous and wholly ridiculous demand, Bernie decided to call their bluff without notifying the fans. I'd like to think Bernie was simply stupid and didn't realize that by not telling the fans he made it possible for Michelin and the team bosses to do exactly what they HAVE done: claim he (Bernie) is indifferent to driver safety. In fact, of course, Bernie cares no more for driver (or fan) safety than do the Team principals and manufacturers: all of them are indifferent to everything (including the fans) but their own bottom line! When I hear this kind of pious nonsense coming from companies and team principals who routinely risk test drivers' safety every week of the season, I have to gag mightily.
The Michelin teams couldn't really go out on the original tires if their tire manufacturer said the tires weren't safe; if there had been a bad crash as a result of a tire failure, the PR/legal consequences would have been horrendous for them (not to mention that they might actually care a microscopic amount about the health of their drivers).
But I agree with your general point, about the money... and the fans got the shaft (as usual).
