F1: Bridgestone Roll Out Super Softs for Shanghai Grand Prix
In Shanghai, Bridgestone’s super soft tyre was used by Jenson Button’s Brawn as he set Friday’s fastest lap time in the afternoon practice session held in sunny weather conditions. Lewis Hamilton had set the fastest time on the harder compound in the morning session. The practice session is the first time that Bridgestone’s super soft compound tyre has been used at Shanghai. Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone director of motorsport tyre development noted that the early Championship leaders Brawn and Toyota “appear to be using their tyres well, but some other teams are still finding the best set-ups. In the second session we saw both tyres used and the performance of the super soft in terms of degradation was not as bad as in Australia.” He was also keen to stress the challenge posed by Bridgestone’s employment of the super soft tyre, in line with the supplier’s promise to make tyre usage an important tactical aspect of the season: “For 2009 we are making a bigger difference between the two compounds and this is in response to requests for this from the FIA and the teams… Here we have the medium tyre, which should be a strong race tyre, and the super soft, which will require good tyre management in terms of car set-up and driving style. Of course, we saw different approaches to using the super soft tyre in Australia, with some approaches working much better than others, so it will be interesting to see competitors rise to the challenge here in Shanghai.”
Continue ReadingBridgestone E-reporter Navarro to Commentate for 2009 F1 Season
Bridgestone has announced that Guillaume Navarro, winner of the 2008 Bridgestone e-reporter competition, will serve as a commentator at the be commentating on the FIA Formula One World Championship for RMC Sport radio (Radio Monte Carlo) for the full 2009 season. At the opening round of this year’s Formula One Season, held in Australia between 27-29 March, Navarro will officially be behind the microphone for the first time as part of the commentary team for RMC Sport Radio, France’s leading sport radio station.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Motorsport Announces F1 Tyre Specifications
Formula One tyre supplier Bridgestone has announced the compound allocations of its Potenza tyres for the first five rounds of the 2009 season. This year sees the return of slick tyres to Formula One after an eleven-season absence, and their comeback enables the implementation of softer rubber compounds – and this means more mechanical grip is available for competitors. This change, says Bridgestone, is significant for teams and drivers and is accompanied by considerable changes to the car aerodynamic packages, designed to reduce downforce and stimulate overtaking.
Continue ReadingBridgestone F1 Tyres Go Green
Kermit the Frog sang that ‘it’s not easy being green’, however this year’s Formula One teams may beg to differ. And while we don’t wish to declaim the truth behind Kermit’s musical lament, all race teams must do to be green in 2009 is sit back and await the arrival of Bridgestone’s soft dry weather and extreme wet weather tyres. On February 26 the Japanese tyre major announced it will supply ‘Make Cars Green’ tyres to every team at every Formula One race this season. Through this initiative, Bridgestone says it aims to further spread the message of the ‘Make Cars Green’ environmental campaign it has been promoting globally with the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile since last year.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Experience “Difficult F1 Test”
The official tyre supplier to Formula One, Bridgestone Motorsport has completed its first group test of 2009 at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve near Portimão, Portugal, where two compounds of 2009 specification slick tyres were used, as well as current specification wet and extreme wet tyres. Five teams were present over four days of testing between 19-22 January. Though the Algarve location is famed for its good weather, the test was affected by wet and windy weather, and at one stage hailstones fell on the track during the course of the four days. While Bridgestone’s soft and super soft compound slick tyres were available for use, teams predominantly opted for the wet and extreme wet tyres. Adding to the difficulty of the wet weather, the ambient temperature was also much cooler than is expected to be experienced at races this season. This restricted the amount of meaningful data that could be obtained. Compounding the problem was the relatively new circuit, whose surface was very slippery as a result of both the weather and its freshness.
Continue ReadingBERU f1systems Develops Infra Red Tyre Heat Sensor
BERU f1systems has developed a high resolution infra-red tyre sensor designed to help optimise vehicle set up and tyre performance in the wake of restricted F1 testing. According to the company, it is the first time a sensor providing temperature and pressure data unaffected by heat soak has been produced by BERU f1systems. “Tyre temperature sensors are normally fitted to the rim as part of the valve,” says managing director John Bailey. “Heat soak from the rim and brakes distorts results leading to incorrect set up. Our system uses IR sensors to measure the inside temperature of the tyre itself, not just the air temperature.”
Continue ReadingF1 Fun at Chiltern Tyres
Chiltern Tyre and Exhaust Specialists based in Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire played host to Bridgestone’s Formula One car as part of a family fun day. Families were invited down to the free event to get up close to the Formula One car, which took centre stage at the event alongside the Bridgestone Formula One simulator. Visitors had their photos taken with the real Ferrari racing car, tested their driving skills on the simulator and enjoyed the food on offer. The kids at the event were also treated to free face painting all day.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Completes First F1 Slicks Test
The official tyre supplier to Formula One, Bridgestone, spent the last three days (17-19 November) on hand at the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona. Twenty-two drivers participated in the three days of testing, producing sample data for the company’s new compound slick tyres, which will be used in the 2009 season, as well as running on the 2008 specification grooved tyres. Dry conditions at the track meant that there was no need for Bridgestone’s wet, extreme wet or development single wet tyre; although the weather was cold, meaning that attaining and maintaining tyre temperature was a challenge for teams, particularly with the hard compound slick. Teams used visibly different packages, with development 2009 aerodynamic packages, interim and 2008 specification cars all in use. There was also some use of KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) by certain teams.
Continue ReadingMichelin Could Consider F1 Return
Michelin has publicly ruled itself out of involvement in Formula 1 as long as it remains a control tyre series, but what if that were to change? “Different control tyre series are run and therefore perceived differently. At best the tyre manufacturer is seen as a supplier, at worst they are little more than a sponsor. It is important that there is a balance between tyre makers to motivate a comeback,” Michelin four wheel competition manager, Matthieu Bonardel, told Tyres & Accessories in a recent interview. If and when the conditions are right Michelin would appear to want to “jump at the chance of re-entering the series.” However, there may be a twist in the company’s involvement were there to be a return to Formula One. “F1 is a good place for newcomers to come in and get known with their brand…Michelin could use any one of a number of different brands,” Bonardel said during the interview with Tyres & Accessories.
Continue ReadingFirst Stop F1 Day Raises £1000
First Stop dealership, Addison Tyres, recently raised a fantastic £1000 for Leukaemia CARE. Addison Tyres hosted an event at its depot, in Tipton in the Midlands, where they showcased Bridgestone’s Formula One car and simulator to help raise money for the charity.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Present Green – Literally – F1 Tyres
Following the addition of reflective painted strips on the company’s extreme-wet and super-soft tyres at the Singapore Formula One night race, Bridgestone has announced that its rubber at the Japanese Grand Prix in Fuji will contain green-painted grooves to show its support for the Make Tyres Green campaign. Ferrari and McLaren’s drivers, who were at the launch alongside with their Make Tyres Green tyre-shod cars, were full of praise for the initiative. Felipe Massa said that it was good that drivers “in the public limelight” could promote the movement and that Formula One “should try to lead by example with energy efficient systems.” Lewis Hamilton added that, “the messages of the campaign help to show us that we can all choose to drive in a greener way… The new Make Cars Green tyre that all the teams will be running on in Fuji is a great way to promote the campaign and a real first for Formula One. The sport can also help in other ways, especially with the launch of new energy efficient technologies next season.”
Continue ReadingBridgestone Marks F1 with Reflective Paint
Bridgestone has announced that at Formula One’s upcoming Singapore Grand Prix it will mark its super-soft and extremely wet tyres with reflective paint for the first time. The race will be held at night, and the measure is intended to inform spectators of what tyre each driver is using.
Continue ReadingBridgestone Trial Single Wet F1 Tyre
Bridgestone have revealed that they are in the process of developing a single wet tyre for Formula One cars, to replace the current choice of standard and extreme wets. The tyre is to be based on the single wet rubber used in the GP2 Series, also supplied by the Japanese giant. It possesses a sloping block tread profile, which is designed to wear down when the track begins to dry, allowing an in-use transformation from an extreme-wet tyre to showing the characteristics of a standard wet.
Continue ReadingBeru f1systems Produces New Touring Car TPMS
Beru f1systems has developed what it calls a cost-effective tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) for touring cars. Specifically for closed-wheel, road car-derived saloons and sports cars, the system provides accurate tyre pressure and temperature information for drivers and engineers to optimise tyre pressures and wear, as well as offering puncture detection. A new feature is the ability to switch wheel positions on the car without having to manually re-assign wheels sensors to different corners of the car. The system available from August 2008, is permitted for race and test in WTCC and dependent on regulations, other national series such as the BTCC (only testing, not race). “Engineers can now switch wheels without manually allocating wheel sensors,” continues Shingleton. “Switching tyres to balance out wear is common in touring car applications, our solution gives them more time to work on set-up rather than inputting data.”
Continue ReadingWorld Touring Car Championship Comes to Brands Hatch
The World Touring Car Championship – whose Rounds 13 and 14 will be held at Brands Hatch this weekend – often has a small number of competitors choosing to feature in just one weekend as guest teams. The somewhat tough challenge is to be competitive with the regular entrants, and on Saturday and Sunday this is just what Volvo Olsbergs Green Racing team will attempt to do as it makes its WTCC debut. One of the hurdles for one-off teams to overcome is in adapting their car set-up to the Yokohama ADVAN, the WTCC’s official tyre choice. Last year’s guest entry Colin Turkington, along with Team RAC, rose to the challenge and claimed a third and fourth place.
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