From Tire Review

The topsy-turvy world of the FIA took yet another unusual turn earlier this week when it was announced that Groupe Michelin’s BFGoodrich brand would no longer be the sole tire supplier to the World Rally Championship after this season, and was being replaced by Pirelli.

BFGoodrich became the sole supplier just this season and raced in the WRC for the 2006 season. Previously, Michelin placed its Michelin brand in WRC competition against Pirelli and other brands.

“We demonstrated during the 2006 championship that the BFGoodrich tires were the best,” said F. Henry Biabaud, rally competition director for the brand. “In 2007, not a single competitor in the tire industry wished to oppose the BFGoodrich brand. The financial and technical efforts we deployed for the past two seasons have therefore not been recognized.

“For the time being, we take note of this decision,” he said.

Groupe Michelin miffed FIA last year when it opted out of bidding to be the lone tire supplier for the Formula One series, leaving Bridgestone to pick up the world’s top racing series.

Michelin placed its bid with FIA to supply BFGoodrich brand tires for the 2008-10 WRC seasons, but was rejected for unspecified reasons.

Pirelli, meanwhile, was overjoyed with the shift, and won the contract to be the exclusive tire supply for the following three seasons.

“The FIA world council, meeting today [Feb. 27] in an extraordinary session in Paris, has accepted Pirelli’s offer for the supply of tires, appreciating not only the quality of the company’s product and its capacity for technical innovation, but also its commitment to developing young drivers and the promotion of national championships,” the company said in a statement.

“Racing is in Pirelli’s DNA and clearly an agreement of such importance is recognition of a commitment to motorsport that has continued uninterrupted for a hundred years,” said Paul Hembery, Pirelli’s competition director. “In the specific case of the WRC, operating in perfect synergy with the FIA, the ISC, the drivers and the constructors, we decided to make a concrete contribution to the promotion of this magnificent sport – a sport in which Pirelli has obtained many memorable victories and which has provided invaluable experience for the development of production tires.”