Valentino Rossi’s complaints about the disadvantage Michelin riders had at Laguna Seca have been well publicized. Basically, Rossi blames his tires for creating an insurmountable challenge against the Bridgestone competition. Bridgestone took the top three places on race day, with Rossi finishing an uncharacteristically distant (more than 30 seconds behind the leader) fourth place.
All those years Rossi spent aboard Michelins — when Michelins were the best tire on the track, and the competing tires hardly stood a chance — did not result in any call for a “spec tire rule” similar to WSB. Let’s let Michelin and Bridgestone fight it out on the track (maybe Dunlop can join in, too). This is how better tires are developed (through competition), and better street tires are the end result.
