Bridgestone Denies F1 Tyre Wear Problems
Formula 1 supplier, Bridgestone, has denied speculation of a major problem with excessive tyre wear. The denial follows last week’s Valencia testing session where Ferrari lingered in the midfield while Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello reportedly complained about a lack of durability. “We got the data we wanted to get,” technical manager Hisao Suganuma told Autosport. The Japanese team then went on to deny that the Valencia specification even nearly resembles the tyre the team will use for qualifying and the Australian Grand Prix. “We are happy with the (pre-season) data we have so far,” he added.
Continue ReadingOnly One F1 Tyre Supplier?
Formula 1 could soon become a single manufacturer series, the BBC has reported. Max Mosely has said that he is “strongly in favour” of the move, according to the minutes of a high level meeting the BBC claims to have seen. Mr Mosley, the FIA president, is said to have agreed with Ferrari, the only other team at the meeting, to discuss the idea with F1s tyre suppliers. Ferrari also backed the idea of a significant reduction in testing as part of proposals to cut costs. The issue of rising costs and how to keep them under control has caused a split between Ferrari and the other nine teams, who refused to attend the meeting last week.
Continue ReadingWill F1 Lose a Tyre Supplier?
The FIA is still deliberating over whether or not to adopt just one tyre supplier for future Formula One series’ according to reports from Autosport magazine. The association’s president, Max Mosley suggested the change in an effort to cut the F1 teams’ costs, saying that too much of the teams’ budget is spent on testing new compounds.
Continue ReadingFun and Games in an Eventful F1 Season
The end of one era…and the beginning of another Yes Michael Schumacher won his seventh championship and yes he set a new record for the number of wins in a season, but the fact remains that however great his achievements have been, many Formula 1 enthusiasts want to see different faces on the podium. However, those observers without any Ferrari allegiances need not complain. Whatever they say about the predictability of Formula 1 races, it has certainly been an eventful year off the track. In fact, some would say there has been more manoeuvring in the pit-lane and the boardroom than on the tarmac, with suggestions of team poaching, tyre stealing and driver pinching coming from every direction. In the midst of it all tyres have played a central role in both on and off track excitement.
Continue ReadingBridgestone’s F1 Fan Club
Bridgestone is expecting more than a thousand of its employees to turn out and cheer on the Bridgestone equipped cars of Ferrari, Sauber, Jordan and Minardi, when the race at Suzuka next weekend. Bridgestone Motorsport director, Hiroshi Yasukawa said a home grand prix is a rare chance for Japan-based staff to catch a closer glimpse of Formula One. “We aim to give them a good show,” he told the Home of F1 website. “Suzuka is renowned for being tough on tyres,” said the team’s technical manager Hisao Suganuma, “[but] we know the circuit well.”
Continue ReadingRenault’s F1 Boss Questions Michelin
Renault’s Formula 1 team boss, Flavio Briatore has put pressure on his teams tyre supplier, Michelin. In a statement the French car manufacturer said that in 2005 the team would have a competitive team of drivers and that the only question mark would be over the tyres. Mr Briatore said that he likes the Michelin guys, but they still lag behind their Bridgestone rivals and must work harder.
Continue ReadingJaguar Pulls Out of F1
Jaguar is to pull out of Formula One at the end of 2004 and Ford’s engine maker Cosworth is also up for sale. F1 representatives believe this decision will have huge affects on the sport, which is under threat from carmakers seeking to establish a rival championship. The news certainly won’t be received well by Michelin, Jaguar’s F1 tyre supplier. Joe Greenwell, chairman and CEO Jaguar and Land Rover said: Jaguar’s presence in Formula One has been a valuable marketing and brand awareness platform particularly outside our main markets of the US and the UK. However it was our collective view that it is time for Jaguar Cars to focus 100 per cent on our core business.” It is thought that the company could no longer financially compete with rivals BMW and Mercedes, partners to Williams and McLaren. World champions Ferrari and new arrivals Toyota have estimated budgets in excess of $200 million a year. It is so expensive to be successful in Formula One, said Ford vice-president Richard Parry-Jones. The money the sport generates is not distributed equitably to the various stakeholders, he continued.
Continue ReadingTyre Change F1 Safety Phase?
The Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) wants to reduce the risk of sudden tyre punctures, caused by post collision shrapnel, German media sources are reporting. When fragments of damaged Formula 1 car lie on the track they pose a significant threat to tyres. The suggestion is that after a crash the safety car will collect all the cars into a formation and then bring the drivers to a standstill on a safe part of the course. When the track has been cleaned the race will start again. During this time the teams have the opportunity to examine their tyre for any damage. Tyre changes will be permitted if teams can prove that they are damaged.
Continue ReadingGroup Tyre Team Win Michelin F1 Pitstop Challenge
A team made up of tyre fitters from Elite Garages of Horsham and Broadway Tyres of High Wycombe demonstrated their high speed skills by winning Michelin F1 Pitstop Challenge at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Continue ReadingBMW Motorsport Director Concerned About F1 Tyres
Dr Mario Theissen, BMW Motorsport director, has raised concerns about the increasing amount of tyre damage that is taking place on the Grand Prix circuit.
Continue ReadingSauber Berate F1 Tyre Suppliers
The ongoing rivalry between Michelin and Bridgestone is having too much effect on the outcome of races, according to a BBC interview with Sauber team owner, Peter Sauber.
Continue ReadingNew F1 Tyre Regulations
The 2005 season will see the introduction of new regulations governing competition vehicles. The FIA has assigned experts to ensure that speeds will be reduced in the next Formula 1 season. The decision will also lead to further rules regarding tyres.
Continue ReadingTeam Bosses Agree F1 Changes
The proposed radical rule changes for Formula One (this site 23.04.2004) have been agreed by team bosses at a meeting in Monaco, where FIA President Max Mosley outlined the proposals, designed to make racing cheaper and more exciting. The meeting agreed that there should be one tyre supplier only and Mosley said that having a control tyre would be safer and less expensive – if everybody had the same, levels of grip and thus cornering speed could be controlled. It was possible, he added, that, with one supplier only, slick tyres could make a come-back in place of the current grooved tyres.
Continue ReadingF1 Cars Too Quick For Their Own Good?
A report in the Financial Times suggests that, if Formula One cars continue to develop as they are, within three years they may be too fast for many F1 circuits. As an example, Michael Schumachers qualifying time for the Malaysian GP was four seconds faster than last years pole position time. The tyre rivalry between Bridgestone and Michelin is responsible for an improvement of over a second per lap, says the article, and it warns that, if development continues, steps may have to be taken to reduce the cars performances.
Continue ReadingOne Tyre Supplier For F1 In Future?
Following on from the story F1 Cars Too Quick For Their Own Good?, The Times claims to have seen a document, written by the FIA, the governing body of Formula One, outlining changes to the sports rules in order to reduce costs and improve competitiveness. These include no power steering, no traction control and a manual gearbox with clutch instead of an automatic gearbox. Suggestions concerning tyres include narrower front wheels and tyres and increased rear tyres to give greater drag for overtaking, no tyre changes allowed during a race and only one tyre supplier, providing a control tyre. The proposals will be debated by the teams over two days in Monaco next week - a meeting which promises to be interesting, to say the least.
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