Bridgestone Signs MotoGP Supply Deal

Bridgestone has confirmed that it has signed the final contract with Dorna to become the official tyre supplier for the MotoGP class in the FIM MotoGP World Championship for a three-year period commencing with the 2009 season. This follows a tender process which took place in 2008. The agreement covers the 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons where all MotoGP competitors will use Bridgestone tyres exclusively.

In 2007 Ducati rider Casey Stoner was the first competitor to win the title using Bridgestone tyres, whilst Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi won last season’s title on the Japanese manufacturer’s rubber. CEO of Dorna Carmelo Ezpeleta, said, “Bridgestone is a company with a fantastic reputation and they make an outstanding contribution to motorsport. We strongly believe that this new agreement is very positive as it will simultaneously reduce costs and increase competition in MotoGP.”

Hiroshi Yasukawa, director of Bridgestone Motorsport, added, “Becoming the ‘Official Tyre Supplier to the MotoGP World Championship’ is a prestigious honour for Bridgestone and we await the start of the 2009 season with great anticipation.

“In these turbulent times of economic crisis, Bridgestone is delighted to be working positively with Dorna to make an exciting contribution to MotoGP. We are dedicated to our support of MotoGP and being chosen as the official tyre supplier shows the high regard in which we are held by the sport in which we have been involved since 2002. Our participation in MotoGP is an important element of our position as the foremost tyre supplier in motorsport.

“In supplying all MotoGP competitors we will treat manufacturers, teams and riders with fairness and to do this we can draw on our experience of supplying all of the teams in Formula One with our tyres for the past two seasons. We hope that having all riders using our tyres will mean exciting races in MotoGP for the next three seasons.”

The opening round of the 2009 FIM MotoGP World Championship will take place at the Losail circuit in Doha, Qatar on the evening of April 12th.