F1 to Employ Revised Red Tyre Rule

Bridgestone has confirmed it will visually differentiate its two specifications of dry weather F1 tyres following last-minute changes to this year’s Formula One regulations. This ruling by the Formula One Commission and the FIA World Motor Sport Council means states that the two different tyre compounds – both of which must be used in each race – must be visibly different.

“Although introduced at very short notice, Bridgestone welcomes the making of the tyre specifications visibly distinguishable from each other as it will now enable the media and public to further understand the strategies employed by the various teams and therefore potentially increase their enjoyment of each race,” said the Japanese company in a statement.

Bridgestone had been a vocal advocate of the so-called ‘red tyre rule’ in the closing months of 2006, promoting the idea of a champ-car style red sidewall on softer compound tyres to distinguish them at a glance from the other option. In its current incarnation the tyres would use a simple marking to identify them, as was confirmed by a Bridgestone spokeswoman who stated “There will be a marking on one of the different specification of tyres.”

Although subject to approval, it appears that one of the tyre types will be marked with a white circle large enough to be visible when the wheel is in motion. This option would prove much more cost effective than painting the entire sidewall red, as a tyre that is the soft option in one race may be the hard compound in the next, and the effort and expense of keeping a duplicate set of each tyre on hand was difficult to justify.

With the Australian Grand Prix, the first of the 2007, taking place on March 18, Formula One fans will not have long to wait before seeing exactly by what means Bridgestone intends to identify the different compounds.