Let me first say I used to own and drive a race car, so with regard to what I am about to say, I know a little of what I am talking about. Granted, it was the SCCA and then the HSR, but I ran nearly a decade and in the last four years I never finished out of the medals.
The real problem here is NOT that the Michelins were not safe, the REAL problem is that they were uncompetitive versus the Bridgestone/Firestones. All the drivers would have to do is S L O W D O W N in that one turn. At some higher speed, the Bridgestones would be unsafe as well.
On any race car there is a limit to how fast your equipment can safely go without exceeding the limits of adhesion or tearing up your equipment due to a rough surface or pavement transitions, ripple strips, etc. You deal with it. Guys with a better set up, better tires, or more money/better equipment will beat you.
**ALL** of those Michelin-equipped cars could have raced a complete race -- and been humiliated because they were lapped, perhaps repeatedly. THAT's the root cause.
Racing is about competition. Bridgestone did their homework. Michelin didn't.
I'd hate to work in MArketing for Michelin today ;-)
bridgestone also got a HeadsUp from firestone about the track resurface job too...