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Bridgestone 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.

20th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

‘The Stig’ in Pole Position at ETB Fundraiser

Stratford-upon-Avon’s latest First Stop dealership, ETB, opened in style with a weekend of fundraising activities and a visit from the original Top Gear ‘Stig’ (aka Perry McCarthy). The dealership, on Masons Road, raised funds for the MS Society and carried out free tyre checks for customers who dropped in.

5th November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Hamilton Wins 2008 Championship on Final Lap

Lewis Hamilton benefitted from some good fortune to become the youngest ever Formula One World Champion after running an uncharacteristically conservative Brazilian Grand Prix. With Felipe Massa already over the line in first place and sitting at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, Hamilton scraped past Timo Glock – who was slowing due to difficult wet weather conditions – on the penultimate bend to retake fifth position at Interlagos and first place for the season. The last British Champion Damon Hill, commentating on the BBC, described the race as “the most exciting Formula One race I have ever seen”.

Much of the drama was prompted by difficult weather conditions. When drops of rain began to fall ten laps from the race’s conclusion, the pits saw a flurry of action as Kimi Raikkonen, Hamilton and Massa all changed to intermediate tyres. On Lap 69, just two from the end, Sebastian Vettel – punching above his car’s weight in the rain once again – took his Toro Rosso past Hamilton into fifth place, meaning that the Briton would have lost out on the Championship in Brazil for the second time in two seasons. However, Glock’s slower pace allowed Vettel and Hamilton to gain one more place each before the finish line, concluding the season dramatically, and leaving Massa to spray his winner’s champagne with less vigour than he might have expected moments earlier.

The BBC – which will take the reins of Britain’s live coverage from ITV next season – left it to Hamilton’s girlfriend and Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger to sum up the emotional rollercoaster of the final minutes: “it was so tough late on. I almost did collapse in the garage. I couldn’t calm down, nor could Nicholas [Hamilton’s brother]. We just both kept screaming at each other.” Scherzinger attributed Hamilton’s victory to a source of power higher than even the weather: “I can only thank God for that moment when Lewis crossed the line as champion.” Hamilton’s father Anthony experienced similar emotions: “I believed in God. I believed that right would come through – now, where’s Timo? I want to give him a kiss.” It was unknown, however, what Massa had done to upset the Big Man, with championship victory mere seconds from his grasp.

3rd November 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin 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.

30th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Putting the Pressure On

One of the less heralded – but no less important – components of the motorsport tyre setup is without doubt the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS). BERU f1systems – a company entirely owned by parent company BERU AG, though also a separate financial entity – supplies such devices, along with other components, such as electrical, stress management and composite systems, to world class motorsport competitors in every major Formula, including all the Formula One teams. Tyres & Accessories took the opportunity of the 2008 Motorsport Review to speak with applications engineer, James Shingleton, about how the company is spreading its wings commercially away from the motorsports arena, and how its experience of working in sport has enabled BERU f1systems to offer top-level TPMSs to ultra-high performance cars and commercial vehicles.

30th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Get Out of the Groove

Bridgestone is to work with slick rubber for the first time since 1997 in the 2009 Formula One season. Rule changes are to prevent the use of grooved racing tyres next season, meaning that this weekend’s season-closer in Brazil will be the grooves’ last stand.

Hirohide Hamashima, the company’s director of motorsport tyre development, explained the company’s 188 Grand Prix history with grooved tyres to F1 news sources: “Developing grooved tyres was very exciting for us as we only had experience of slick racing tyres. We had the challenge of developing a tyre with a hard compound because of the structure and tread profile of the tyre, but one which gave the good grip required for Formula One. From an engineering perspective it has been a very interesting aspect of our motorsport activities. We began testing our first grooved tyres in 1997 with Damon Hill. The first tyres were a modified slick tyre to let us understand the differences and requirements of a grooved tyre. We soon found that the wear rate on the front tyre was very high, and we experienced a lot of graining, so the compound we used for this tyre would have to be a lot harder.

27th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

First 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.

23rd October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone 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.”

8th October 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone 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.

19th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

2008 Bridgestone eReporter Named

The GP2 end of season ceremony in Monza, Italy was the location Bridgestone decided upon to reveal the 2008 winner of its annual e-reporter competition. On the evening of Sunday September 14, it was revealed this year’s honour goes to French student Guillaume Navarro, whose journalistic talents put him ahead of eight other finalists and a record number of entries from across Europe.

Guillaume’s victory was announced on stage by Franco Annunziato, managing director, Bridgestone Technical Centre Europe – in front of all GP2 teams, drivers, GP2 Series personnel, official suppliers and partners attending the evening celebrations. This year marked the fifth anniversary of the Bridgestone e-reporter competition, and the company celebrated by inviting all previous Bridgestone e-reporter finalists to Monza. A total of 31 graduates joined the celebratory reunion at the Italian Grand Prix – the GP2 series finale – and watched as Guillaume received his prize at the GP2 awards.

17th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Harris Brothers Tyres Raises £800 for Charity

Harris Brothers Tyres raised £800 for the Paul Sartori Foundation, a local charity, at the Pembrokeshire County Show. The three days of events raised a total of £814 for the charity, which provides palliative care for patients with life-limiting conditions, both from the hospice based in Haverfordwest and for patients at home.

Leighton Walker, director of Harris Brothers Tyres, commented: “Despite the British weather, the event was a huge success. Thousands of visitors came along to the stand to see the Formula One car and give the simulator a go, helping us to raise a fantastic amount for charity. Working within Bridgestone’s First Stop group, we are able to do more to give that little bit extra to our customers and also to local charities such as the Paul Sartori Foundation.”

8th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone 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.

4th September 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone to Mark 200th Grand Prix at New Venue

Bridgestone is set to celebrate its 200th appearance in Formula One at this weekend’s European Grand Prix, which will take place on the streets of Valencia for the first time. Having debuted in 1997 at the Australian Grand Prix, Bridgestone – now the sport’s sole tyre provider – is looking forward to the challenge of dealing with the freshly completed street circuit, and has announced that it will provide teams with the two softest available compounds.

20th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Kovalainen Victorious in Hungary

Heikki Kovalainen drove his McLaren to its first victory in Formula One at the Hungarian Grand Prix. Ferrari’s Felipe Massa failed to capitalise on his lead entering the final four laps, retiring after engine failure with the finish minutes away.

Timo Glock of Toyota finished impressively in second – claiming his first ever podium – while Kimi Raikkonen regained some of his form, which has been absent for some time, taking the chequered flag in a strong third place. Lewis Hamilton was able to hold on to his Championship lead, finishing fifth – and just behind rival Fernando Alonso – after a puncture scuppered his chances of a podium.

4th August 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone to Supply Potenza OE for Cadillac STS

Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNT) has announced the OE supply of its Potenza RE050A tyres for the 2009 Cadillac STS touring saloon, Bridgestone’s first fitment deal for this vehicle. The tyres in size 255/45R18 99Y will be available for both V6 and V8 versions of the STS, and the car becomes the third Cadillac, after the DTS and Escalade, to be fitted with Bridgestone tyres as original equipment. BFNT has not confirmed whether versions of the STS sold in the UK and Europe will be similarly equipped.

“Cadillac says of its luxury touring sedan, ‘it’s all about driving confidence on the road,’ and the same is true of Bridgestone-brand Potenza tyres,” said Michael Martini, President, Consumer OE Tire Sales, BFNT. “The Potenza RE050A is loaded with race-inspired technologies and is built for the pleasure of driving. Like the STS, our tyre blends performance, style and comfort in perfect harmony.”

28th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors