Bridgestone cautious over Michelin debacle

Tyre-maker Bridgestone said it is too early to say whether it would benefit from a severe blow to rival Michelin.

Japanese tyre-maker Bridgestone said on Monday it was "too early" to say whether it would benefit from a severe blow to rival Michelin caused by the French company's tyres proving unsafe to use at the US Grand Prix.

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"It is really too early to tell, we should be careful," a Bridgestone spokeswoman said. Bridgestone and Michelin are the only companies to provide tyres for Formula One racing.

Michelin has rejected any blame for advising seven Formula One teams to pull out of Sunday's US Grand Prix because of fears its tyres might be dangerous.

After Ralf Schumacher's high-speed accident in Friday's free practice in Indianapolis left the German driver so shaken he had to withdraw from the race, Michelin admitted it could not guarantee the durability of the tyres supplied for the race.

They pinned hopes on new tyres being flown in from its base at Clermont-Ferrand. But formula one's governing body, the FIA, refused to allow new tyres to be used, or a chicane to be set up to slow the cars.