Oh, what a difference a couple of years makes. Not too long ago, Michelin was the powerhouse tire manufacturer in MotoGP — the manufacturer with all of the heritage and all of the wins, of late. Along came Bridgestone, however.
Up to this point, you could say that Bridgestone has essentially dominated MotoGP in 2007. Casey Stoner and Ducati might be the headline, but other Bridgestone teams have done well, and Michelin teams have struggled more often than they would like.
Now, it is reported that the Honda factory team, pushed by Dani Pedrosa (who has signed a new contract to extend his relationship with Honda) would like Bridgestones next year, as well. Among the top factory teams, only Yamaha seems content to continue its relationship with Michelin into 2008.
If Ducati, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Honda all run Bridgestones next year, would Michelin stay interested enough to stay competitive? The Honda tire relationship is still up in the air, and they may stay with Michelin, but the tide has definitely turned toward Bridgestone.
