Bridgestone F1 Tyres ‘Essentially the Same’ as 2007

Bridgestone reports that Formula 1 teams are busy testing ahead of the 2008 season, with most running their new cars at the latest test session at Valencia in Spain, and teams have the benefit of racing on tyres that are fundamentally the same as those tried and tested last year. Interest in the new season seems at an all-time high with a staggering 35,000 crowding the track to watch the Ferrari duo of Felipe Massa and defending World Champion Kimi Raikkonen set the fastest times.

Perhaps most impressive, however, was Nico Rosberg who finished third on the timesheets in the new Williams FW30, which had only had its first shakedown the day before. Rosberg’s best time was just a tenth behind Raikkonen and two-tenths faster than McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen. The man most of the crowd had come to see – Spain’s double World Champion Fernando Alonso – finished the day with the sixth fastest time behind countryman and McLaren test-driver Pedro de la Rosa.

Reigning Champ Car title-holder Sebastien Bourdais set the tenth fastest time as he begins his new career with Toro Rosso while both Toyota drivers Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock were in action but almost two seconds off the pace of Massa’s Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton, Nelson Piquet Jnr and Australia’s Mark Webber were among the drivers who didn’t take part in the session, with some teams – including McLaren, BMW, Honda and Force India – running their official test drivers instead.

All the teams were, of course, running Bridgestone Potenza Formula 1 tyres as Bridgestone begins its new three-year tenure as the Official Tyre Supplier to the World Championship. “Our tyres are essentially the same as provided last season, so the teams already have a good understanding of how they work,” said Tetsuro Kobayashi, technical manager for Bridgestone Motorsport.

“Now all the teams have to do is optimise their new cars with our tyres, and whoever does this best will have the greatest opportunity when we reach Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix in eight weeks time.”