Bridgestone Celebrates F1 Partnership in Monza

With 14 years of tyre supply soon to end, Bridgestone Europe celebrated its Formula One partnership at its final race within the region. On September 10, during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, more than 170 guests from Formula 1 racing teams, the press and Bridgestone companies attended the Paddock Club event, the centre piece of which was a question and answer session with leading F1 personalities including Bridgestone past and present champions Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. Racing team principals Martin Whitmarsh of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, Ross Brawn of Mercedes GP Petronas and Stefano Domenicali of Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro joined the drivers on stage while a host of fellow team principals and senior team management also added their weight to the occasion.

Displayed on television monitors in the Bridgestone Paddock Club suite were 20 selected photographs (out of more than 150 entries) illustrating Bridgestone’s involvement with Formula One, submitted by F1 affiliated photographers in a photo contest organised by Bridgestone. The top three winning photographers were announced during the evening by Bridgestone Motorsport director Hiroshi Yasukawa.

Between 1997 and 2010, Bridgestone will have equipped no fewer than 11 Driver and Constructor winners of the FIA Formula One World Championship. By the end of the 2010 season, drivers on Bridgestone Potenza tyres will have achieved 175 wins, 168 pole positions and 170 fastest laps. Bridgestone has also been sole supplier to the GP2 and GP2 Asia Series.

“With this event Bridgestone Europe wished to recognise and thank the large number of dedicated professionals who have helped Bridgestone achieve such a high level of success in 14 years of Formula 1 racing around the world” said Des Collins, vice president, European Communications Office, Bridgestone Europe.