Burning rubber - don't expect tyre rows to die down any time soon

Keep your fingers crossed. While those in Formula One this past week were making optimistic noises about having two races in the United States some time soon, the rest of us have been fervently hoping that there won't be a repeat of the fiasco of last year.

You may remember that only six cars took part, with all the cars with Michelin tyres being pulled after the parade lap on safety concerns following Ralf Schumacher's big accident on the oval section where he suffered a tyre blowout.

The American fans weren't amused, and neither were the Formula One big wigs who have waged a war of words with the French company seemingly ever since. A year on and the saga seems to have come to an end. With a single tyre supplier approved for 2008, Michelin which had already decided to withdraw from Formula One next season has decided not to apply for the job.

It caps a wretched 12 months for Michelin, which included the accidental death on a fishing trip of the company's boss, Eduard Michelin, just before the Monaco Grand Prix.

But Michelin isn't leaving the sport without venting its feelings.

'Michelin has continually made it's belief known that Formula One should, as motor sport's cutting-edge discipline, be an arena where the most advanced technologies can do battle in the interests of motoring,' Michelin said.