Official confirmation from Michelin on Tuesday that it is has launched a bid for the 2017-'19 Formula One tire contract came on an unfortunate anniversary for the French company. It was 10 years ago this week that the U.S. Grand Prix at Indianapolis ran with just six Bridgestone-shod cars after the cars of all seven Michelin teams filed into the pits at the end of the formation lap, as a result of safety concerns triggered by Ralf Schumacher's accident in Friday practice. That was the culmination of a highly charged weekend that saw Michelin, the teams and the FIA unable to come to a solution, such as a chicane at the final turn, that would allow those seven teams to compete. Fans sitting in the grandstands and watching on TV at home were left to witness one of the most extraordinary Formula One events in history. The then-Indianapolis boss Tony George, who could do very little given that the event was sanctioned by the FIA, was left to deal with the fallout from angry spectators. It was a watershed moment for F1 in the USA, and many thought the sport would never recover. Indianapolis would, however, go on to run two more Grands Prix in 2006 and 2007 before the race dropped off the calendar as Bernie Ecclestone's financial demands outstripped the commercial benefits for Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Now, of course, things are looking up. Austin has quickly become established as the new home of the U.S. GP, while Ecclestone continues to look for a second American venue. Meanwhile the Haas team is ramping up for its debut in 2016, and as a frontrunner in GP2, Alex Rossi is perhaps the best prospect to emerge for several years. Ten years after "Michelingate" is as good a time as any to catch up with George to get some perspective on the impact that 2005 event had. He jokes that he's tried to forget the weekend -- one of the worst of his professional life -- and admits that it contributed to the loss of the U.S. GP, along with the rising cost of putting on the event.

“That was one of many things that probably added up to the ultimate demise of the event on the calendar,” he says. “Our decision as a company that we wouldn't be in a position to renew under certain terms was a tough one to arrive at. It was particularly disappointing for me, but at the end of the day I was one lonely voice in the company trying to salvage it. In the end, I didn't have any choice but to stand before the microphone.” It's fascinating to learn that even now George wishes that F1 could one day come back to IMS. “I continue to have a lot of respect for Bernie. I'm not sure how I'm viewed in the F1 paddock, but to this day I wish we still had a U.S. GP at the Speedway," he said. "It wasn't perfect, and with more time, more resources, we might have been able to come up with a more interesting circuit that the drivers would have enjoyed and considered a challenge. I had a plan in my mind, but what would ultimately have been considered and homologated remained to be seen. But it's neither here nor there now. “In the back of my mind, even though I'm not in a position to influence it, I would hope that there would be some consideration to bringing F1 back to Indianapolis. It's unlikely; it was such a great event for the city and to the state, if not for us, financially. “We've obviously struggled to replace it from that perspective. MotoGP is nice, but it's not F1. You can have a road race with the NASCAR weekend, but it's not the same thing by any stretch. I just wish it could come back. I think that [current CEO] Mark Miles thinks it would be a great thing to have back -- but then he hasn't sat through the negotiations...” George is full of praise for the Austin event, and he believes that the COTA team has done a good job. “I watched the first one on television and thought it was a fantastic event. I think I went to the second one. It's a beautiful facility. [COTA vice-president] Mel Harder, who used to work for us, took me around on his scooter and showed me all the spectator areas and vantage points, and I was blown away by what a great job they've done. I hope the event has legs.”

If a return to Indianapolis is not on F1's agenda, where else could a second U.S. event go? New Jersey appeared to have faded away until promoter Leo Hindery met with Ecclestone in Montreal, while Las Vegas continues to be mentioned. “I've been watching with everyone else the fits and starts in New Jersey,” says George. “Obviously the vistas are spectacular. Another guy that worked for me, Marty Hunt, has worked for them. He told me that it was a great location, and while it has challenges, he thought it could work. “I don't know the lay of the land there, or what the hurdles would be. At the end of the day you have to have a good financial sponsor, much like happened in Austin -- someone who comes and puts the bit between their teeth and gets it done.” The one missing element that would help anyone trying to promote an F1 race in the USA would be the presence of an American driver in a top team. Of course, there will always be a core audience for the sport, but look what Michael Schumacher did in Germany, or Fernando Alonso in Spain. “It's one thing getting a chance, it's another thing getting a good chance. And when Michael [Andretti] went over with McLaren, even going with a good team, it has to be the right situation. There has to be commitment. I think Michael could have done it and should have done it, given the opportunity. I personally think he didn't make the most of it, but that's just me. “Let's see what happens with Haas. It may not happen overnight, but perhaps with time. Whether Rossi is the best American hopeful, I don't know. I happen to think that there are a couple of others, but they haven't come up through the European system, which seems to be all-important. If you get the right guy at the right stage of his career who has the commitment, I think there could be a couple -- but maybe not ready by the debut of the Haas team.”

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io