Based in Japan, Bridgestone Corporation is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company.
Bridgestone has announced that the number of UK First Stop dealerships reaching the network’s highest customer service standard has doubled in the past 12 months. In addition the company has given six outlets its highest five-star award.
After fears that a so-called super typhoon would halt the Japanese Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher has won his 13th race of the season. The fact that qualification was more than a little disrupted by an “undriveably” wet track only meant that more emphasis was put on tyres. After the first ever Sunday morning qualification, Michael Schumacher’s Bridgestone equipped Ferrari blew away the opposition.
Williams’ Ralph Schumacher took second place, with Britain’s Jenson Button taking the third podium spot. According to Button: “I went for the two stops because it worked pretty well for me in the last race.” Michelin drivers took the majority of the other point scoring positions.
When the reigning world champion was asked what it felt like to back in winning form, having set a new record for the number of wins in a season, the Ferrari driver commented: “Yeah. It is obviously nice, for other reasons, particularly that it is Bridgestone’s home Grand Prix and we wished to do well for them and we did. We did very superb in being basically fastest all weekend and finally get the win and it is the way to pay back something to our partners.”
The Asia Times is reporting that Bridgestone Corp has announced that it will begin production of high-carbon steel cord in China next autumn.
Online motorsport news services are reporting that Williams, Renault and Toyota are all linked possible moves from Michelin to Bridgestone next season. According to the website Bridgestone has approached all six Michelin-shod Formula 1 teams, including McLaren, Jaguar and BAR. Williams, Renault and Toyota are believed to have responded with requests fore more information, according to British media sources. The source said Bridgestone wants at least one carmaker-backed Michelin team to switch camps and thus contribute to development of next year’s Formula 1 product.
New rules in 2005, requiring a Formula One tyre to have a longer life, will mean that the quality, and quantity, of this winter’s development will be even more crucial to success.
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.”
The US’ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has rejected requests to investigate Bridgestone Firestone Steeltex tyres, having found no evidence of defects or unusually high failure rates.
It was the third time in two years that the NHTSA rejected claims that millions of Steeltex tyres may be defective.
Bridgestone Corporation (Japan) has increased its shareholding in Bridgestone Firestone Maxiprest, its listed South African new tyre distributor and tyre management service provider. The increase will see Bridgestone’s stake rise from 66 to 70 per cent.
It is uncertain whether Bridgestone intends to increase this stake or make an offer to minority shareholders de-list the company. Takashi Wada, the chairman and chief executive of Bridgestone SA Holdings and chairman of Bridgestone Firestone Maxiprest, was unavailable for comment.
Gordon Sinclair, the company secretary at Bridgestone Firestone Maxiprest, commented said that “from his understanding” Bridgestone SA Holdings did not have any intention of increasing its stake in the company.
Bridgestone is a aiming to control 15 per cent of the European market within 5 years, the company announced at the Paris auto show.
Bridgestone UK has created a new role within its sales force to capitalise on what it sees as the next growth market in the UK tyre industry.
On 24 September 2004 Bridgestone Corporation officially opened a Chinese tyre plant.
The inaugural Chinese Grand Prix was certainly a successful one for race winner, Rubens Barichello. The Ferrari driver has now won two consecutive races for the first time in his career.
Bridgestone has teamed up with competitor Continental to develop an advanced tyre pressure monitoring system for commercial vehicles. The two companies will join forces to mass produce the system which is expected to be released into the market in 2007. The companies are aiming to position the product as a “global standard.”
The intervention of government officials has brought a yearlong labour dispute between Bridgestone/Firestone (BFS) Argentina and its workers to an end.
Renault’s Formula 1 team boss, Flavio Briatore has put pressure on his team’s 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.
Camel Honda driver Makoto Tamada and Kawasaki’s Shinya Nakano took first and third place for Bridgestone at the Japanese Grand Prix over the weekend. The tyre manufacturer provided tailor-made tyres for its drivers to suit the special stop-and-go characteristics of the Motegi track. “Makoto was unbeatable. Even towards the end of the race, he had tyre grip like on the first lap,” commented defeated world champion Valentino Rossi.
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