Ecclestone: Pirelli can deliver maximum-attack racing tyres

Amid a call by Formula 1 drivers for Pirelli to provide "maximum-attack racing" tyres without having to worry about degradation, Bernie Ecclestone has revealed that the Italian tyre manufacturer will listen and can deliver whatever rubber is required for the sport.

Ecclestone is being quoted by BBC in the wake of comments made by GPDA president Alex Wurz who said recently that drivers were willing to "help and support Pirelli to construct a tyre fit for maximum-attack racing."

"I have already told Pirelli that," said Ecclestone. "The bottom line is Pirelli supply the tyres in F1, they are the tyres we should use and the teams and drivers should work with Pirelli to perfect the tyres."

A meeting is scheduled for 2 February in Milan where F1's top brass will meet with Pirelli to thrash out a solution which will be mutually acceptable.

Ecclestone is adamant, "Whatever drivers want to turn up can turn up. Whatever teams want to turn up can turn up. It will be the president of Pirelli who is there, not a messenger."

For the right tyre to be developed Ecclestone is proposing that the top three teams and their drivers do the development work.

"I want someone who can drive on the limit who can come back with an answer. Pirelli agree with me 100%. That's what they have asked for - a top team with top drivers, not a team that can't push to the limit and certainly not a driver who can't," said Ecclestone.

Pirelli motorsport chief Paul Hembery says his company want a solution that benefits all parties, "We need clear direction. and going forward from there we need to extensively test any solutions."

Meanwhile Ecclestone poured cold water on suggestions that Michelin could soon return to the F1 paddock and that a deal with Pirelli, beyond the current one, is not yet inked.

The F1 supremo confirmed, "[The deal] has been agreed. I don't know whether I have signed, or it's signed. The funny thing with the president of Pirelli and myself, we shake hands on something and that is like a signature as far as I am concerned and as far as he is."

As for Michelin, Ecclestone said, "They wanted to run F1. They wanted to say exactly how everything should be run".