MOTOGP: Pedrosa to switch to Bridgestones

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Dani Pedrosa is to make a shock mid-season switch from Michelin toBridgestone tyres, starting at the forthcoming Indianapolis GrandPrix.
Speculation about a possible change mounted at Misano this weekend,and Michelin has now confirmed that it has agreed for Pedrosa toswitch to its arch-rival's rubber with immediate effect.
"Despite making an excellent start to the season and leading theworld championship going into the German GP, during the last fewraces Dani Pedrosa has made it know to both Michelin and Honda thathe doesn't feel at ease with the tyres that Michelin have offeredhim," said a Michelin statement.

"Honda and Michelin believe that rider confidence needs to be atits maximum if the rider is to fully exploit the tactical potentialof the tyres.

"In these circumstances Michelin and Honda have therefore decidednot to equip Pedrosa with Michelin tyres for the remainder of the2008 season."
Michelin has come under heavy criticism in recent months, as itsriders fell behind their Bridgestone-shod rivals, particularly fromthe Laguna Seca race onwards. At Brno a fortnight ago theMichelins' practice and qualifying performance was so bad that arider boycott was a genuine possibility.
The French tyres showed better form at Misano this weekend, withJorge Lorenzo and Pedrosa taking second and fourth, but thatimprovement was not sufficient to keep Pedrosa on Michelins for therest of the year.
"I thank Michelin and Honda for their mutual understanding and foragreeing to my personal demands," said the Spanish rider.
"I am very conscious of the fact that I have made some excessivelynegative comments about Michelin tyres, even though Michelin helpedme make an exceptional start to the season."
Michelin has supplied Honda's motorcycle teams with tyres for 24years, with the two companies winning 14 world championshipstogether.
Honda's decision to give Bridgestone runner Shinya Nakano and thesatellite Gresini team a full 2008 specification bike was alreadywidely seen as testing the water for a full Bridgestone switch,especially after the Japanese rider beat the other Hondas at Brno.
Pedrosa's move means that just six of the 18 MotoGP regulars willuse Michelin tyres in the remaining 2008 races. Currentchampionship leader Valentino Rossi had already persuaded Yamaha tolet him swap to Bridgestones for this season after he struggled tobeat Casey Stoner's Bridgestone-shod Ducati last season.
Michelin's problems have led to renewed speculation that MotoGPcould implement control tyres next season to avoid performancedisparities of the kind seen at Brno, but Michelin has reiteratedits long-held opposition to any such move.
"Both Honda and Michelin hope that MotoGP World Championship willcontinue with a multi-tyre brand regulation in 2009," said itsstatement.
Pedrosa's teammate Nicky Hayden will remain on Michelin tyres forthe rest of the year.