Michelin: We will be up to the task at Imola.

Michelin will be up to the task of winning this weekend at the San Marino Grand Prix, that's the verdict of the French tyre companies' motorsport director, Pierre Dupasquier.

Speaking in the build-up to the race, he added that results in testing post-Bahrain have been very 'encouraging'.

Imola holds good memories for 'Bibendum', having won in 1984 with Alain Prost, during their farewell campaign and having also triumphed in 2001 with Ralf Schumacher, when they scored a dominant success just four races into the firms' comeback season.

"I have fond memories of Imola 2001," reflects Dupasquier, "when Michelin underlined its capacity to make effective F1 tyres within a couple of months of returning to the sport.

"Will we be able to score our first victory of the season in San Marino this year? Well, we have done a considerable amount of testing since the last race in Bahrain and the results are most encouraging.

"It is poised to be a fiercely competitive weekend and I am confident that our tyres will be up to the task."

Michelin and its six partner teams have carried out some productive development work since the Bahrain GP and the company will be chasing its 73rd F1 grand prix victory on Sunday.

Pascal Vasselon, Michelin's Formula One programme manager, adds: "We finalised our tyre options for the San Marino Grand Prix after completing a series of tests with our partner teams at Paul Ricard last week.

"We will take three dry-weather compounds to this event and none has previously been used during a race weekend. For the first time this season we will be using tyres from the 'softer' end of our range. Imola has quite a short pit entry and exit, so tactical stops take less time than they do at other circuits - and that is particularly the case this season, with the new 100 km/h limit in force on Sunday. That opens up fresh strategic possibilities."