File:21 June 2005 letter from Mosley to Dupasquier (part 1).png

The first page of a two-page letter, dated 21 June 2005, from Max Mosley to Pierre Dupasquier regarding the 2005 United States Grand Prix controversy and the safety of Michelin's Formula One tyres (see the second page, as well as pages one and two of a letter from Mosley to Edouard Michelin on the same subject).

The FIA have placed the contents of both letters into the public domain [1]:

The exchange of correspondence between the FIA President and the Chief Executive of Michelin was deliberately leaked to members of the Press, we are therefore placing the complete exchange of correspondence in the public domain.

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Dear Pierre

Further to the incidents at Indianapolis last weekend, we have reason to believe that Michelin have suffered at least two major tyre failures at high speed in private testing. We have also received information which suggests that Michelin Formula One tyres have been prone to sidewall failure for the past two years and that some of the failures last year which were blamed on debris on the circuit may in fact have been due to tyre defects unconnected with debris.

After the failures at Indianapolis, you informed us and the media that you were flying in "Barcelona" tyres and that these would be safe. You then withdrew these same tyres within 24 hours on the grounds that they were not safe. In your letter of 18 June you told us that despite full analysis and evaluation, you did not know the "root cause" of the problem. Nevertheless, despite this lack of understanding you stated that your tyres could be used if vehicle speeds in Turn 13 were reduced. However, only one of your major failures was in that corner; the other was in Turn 5 in the infield. You will certainly understand that we find this lack of clarity and apparent lack of understanding deeply disquieting.

Would you therefore please supply us, as a matter of urgency, with full details of all failures your tyres have suffered over the past two years when fitted to Formula One cars. Would you also please tell us precisely what you have done or are doing to prevent further tyre failures. Obviously we will treat all technical information as strictly confidential.