Formula One Archives - Page 47 of 56 - Tyrepress

Formula One

Posts

FIA Reveals Details of McLaren Ferrari Scandal

The FIA has released details of the email conversation between Fernando Alonso and Pedro de la Rosa that led to McLaren being excluded from this year’s Formula One constructor’s championship amid accusations of spying. Interestingly, the emails which were exchanged over the course of three months centred Ferrari’s tyre inflation gas, brakes and weight distribution.

According to the FIA, de la Rosa emailed Alonso on 25 March identifying identified an unspecified gas that Ferrari uses to inflate its tyres to reduce the internal temperature and blistering. The e-mail concludes with a statement (in relation to the gas) that “we’ll have to try it, it’s easy!”

Alonso replied that it is “very important” that McLaren test the gas that Ferrari uses in its tyres as “they have something different from the rest”, and “not only this year. There is something else and this may be the key; let’s hope we can test it during this test, and that we can make it a priority!” de la Rosa replied stating the following: I agree 100% that we must test the [tyre gas] thing very soon.

18th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Dueler H/P Sport On New Mazda CX-7

The Mazda CX-7, available in the UK from this month, boasts the Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport tyre as original equipment. The Dueler H/P Sport is Bridgestone’s first SUV tyre derived from Formula One technology and was designed to bring driving agility and comfort to the increasing number of powerful SUVs on the roads today. According to the company, it gives drivers the best of both worlds by offering excellent wet and dry handling, sharp steering precision and an aggressive edge design that gives the tyre a sporty look while ensuring a comfortable ride with low noise levels.

The Mazda CX-7 is heavily orientated towards a sports car in its styling and driving dynamics, but retains the commanding road presence of a sports utility vehicle. There is ample space for five occupants to travel in comfort, with sports utility-style rear-seat functionality and generous boot space – making it ultra-practical.

10th September 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

New marketing director at Bridgestone UK

Bridgestone UK has made a new addition to its Warwick-based team after appointing Sam Enya as marketing director. Mr. Enya, 39, has been with Bridgestone since 1993, when he joined the company’s head office in Japan straight from college.

After spending 12 years working for the tyre major in its home country, progressing into a role looking after sales for the motorsport and aircraft tyre divisions, Enya transferred to the UK. Most recently, he has worked as a manager at Bridgestone Motorsport in Slough, handling the Formula One operation, but has now moved to Bridgestone UK’s Tachbrook Park head office to oversee the firm’s marketing strategy.

“Having worked for Bridgestone for 14 years, I’m looking forward to a new challenge within the company,” he said. “My aim is to ensure that Bridgestone continues to strengthen its position within the UK market.”

21st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

F1 Tyre Rule Change for 2008 Rumoured

A German motor racing magazine has disclosed that Formula One decision makers may be in favour of modifying the championship’s tyre regulations for the 2008 season. Auto Motor und Sport magazine reported on July 30 that Bridgestone could be asked to offer a wider selection of tyre compounds at each grand prix – a move intended to increase the strategy options available to participating teams.

The championship’s smaller teams are reportedly more strongly behind the idea, while the major players have given a lukewarm response to any such changes. Bridgestone too is said to be less than enthusiastic, as implementing the proposed changes for next year’s season would involve additional expense and preparatory work.

1st August 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Awarded “Superbrand” Status in Germany

The globally recognised independent authority on consumer opinion and branding, Superbrands, has identified the “Bridgestone” brand as one of the strongest brand names in its 2007 awards in Germany. This year’s German awards are the third held in that country, and the tyre major was one of a hundred companies nominated by the Superbrands judging panel of financial journalists and industry experts.

The stated aim of Superbrands is to identify and spotlight excellent product names in individual countries, and to honour these companies through the conferring of awards. Independent business experts initiate the selection process by first nominating a number of outstanding product brands and trademarks present in their own country. The selection panel then is given the task of evaluating these companies and choosing one hundred that stand head and shoulders above the rest. The criteria for selection are the prevalence and acceptance of the brand name or trademark, customer loyalty, the durability of the brand and the brand value of the business enterprise.

25th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

F1 Gives Indianapolis the Red Flag

The famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway will not resound to the screeching of Bridgestone Formula One tyres in 2008 following the decision to scrap the event after eight lukewarm years. Bernie Ecclestone’s verdict on the race was announced on July 12, a decision that the speedway’s CEO hopes will be a temporary one.

“It’s my sincere hope that we’ll have the opportunity to bring it back in the not-too-distant future,” said speedway CEO Tony George. “Eight years ago, it was our intent to host this event on an annual basis. While I still hold hope for the future that we’ll be able to bring it back, its tough to have a hiatus like this, and I view it as such. I’m going to continue to work on this to try to bring it back to the best of my ability as soon as possible.”

The US Grand Prix on average attracted around 125,000 spectators, which while respectable in terms of F1 attendance was smaller than any other event held at the speedway. In comparison, attendance at the Indianapolis 500 has been estimated at around 300,000 people. George believes the US Grand Prix could have drawn larger crowds had it been given the opportunity to better establish itself through sponsorship and the media.

13th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Dunlop to Supply V8 Series Down-Under

Dunlop has won its third consecutive contract to supply its control tyre to teams participating in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series from 2008 to 2012. Since 2002, Dunlop has been the sole tyre supplier to the V8 Supercar Championship Series and Fujitsu Series, providing and servicing more than 9,000 tyres per year.

Judith Swales, managing director & CEO of South Pacific Tyres, which owns and operates Dunlop in Australia, is very excited about TEGA’s appointment of Dunlop as the Series’ official control tyre supplier. “Dunlop has a long and proud association with motorsport in Australia and around the world, and TEGA’s decision to award us the tyre contract highlights their confidence in our ability to supply a high-quality tyre — and an experienced and efficient operations group — to service the race teams,” Swales said.

10th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Formula 1 and Bridgestone Head to Silverstone

Formula One is coming to Silverstone on the weekend of 7-8 July. The British Grand Prix, round nine of the FIA Formula One World Championship, will see Bridgestone’s medium and hard compound Potenzas put through their paces on the circuit’s high-speed layout and abrasive surfaces. With rain featuring strongly in recent UK weather patterns Bridgestone’s wet and extreme wet Potenzas may also get their chance to come into play.

Bridgestone Motorsport head of Track Engineering Operations Kees van de Grint has spoken about the upcoming British Grand Prix:

What are the challenges of the Silverstone circuit?

“Although the circuit is not as fast as it used to be it is still a very fast track with an average speed over the lap of 230 kph. The majority of the lap is very fast and in top gears so cars require fast corner stability and the tyres need to have good heat and wear resistance, which is why we will bring the hardest tyres in our range. The whole lap is not high speed however, as the lower speed complex at the end of the lap is where time can be lost or found. Tyre grip and minimizing graining will be deciding factors here.”

6th July 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

It’s ‘Guinness Time’ at Conti

In the world of high-speed tyres Germany’s Continental has demonstrated it has nothing to be ashamed of following the entry of one of its products, the ContiSportContact Vmax, into the famed Guinness Book of Records as the world’s fastest standard production tyre. Certification experts from TÜV Süd Automotive in Munich recently served as independent technical witnesses to confirm the Conti tyre’s status, a pre-condition for entry in the revered book. First unveiled three years ago, the ContiSportContact Vmax is approved for use at speeds up to 360 km/h (225 mph), and carries a ‘ZR’ rating – the top designation on the speed rating scale, Y, does not accommodate speeds in excess of 300 km/h.

The tyre is based on the ContiSportContact product family and underwent further development to achieve substantially enhanced high-speed characteristics. Top priority in this context was efficient tyre cooling, whilst maintaining good handling and positive characteristics in the wet. “When developing this high-tech tyre, which is approved for road use, we were able to call on experience gained in the design of high-performance tyres for original equipment and for our technology partners in the customising sector” explained Holger Berkmann, tyre developer at Continental. “Adopting Formula One concepts would not help us here, as high-speed tyres approved for road use have to build up grip on wet and dry roads and they are also expected to achieve an appropriate mileage.”

29th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Double Identity

Followers of contemporary Formula One are well aware that motor racing can often seem more like a wheel oiled business than a sport, and the evidence of sponsorship deals and advertising tie-ins are an ever present companion to spectators either at the racetrack or when watching at home. But the sport wasn’t always this mercantile, and in the early days competitive racing was still a pastime within the reach of well to do individuals. There was a time when all one needed to race was a powerful car, a talented mechanic, some spare cash….and the right tyres.

The owners of vintage performance cars can today still enjoy the thrills of this more gentlemanly age of racing through vintage championship events, and on most weekends throughout the summer months the proud owners of some of the last century’s finest machines can be found thundering around the circuit at race meetings, competing in spectables offering a level of excitement often sadly absent in modern racing.

29th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Avon OE on Car that Recreates Racing’s Golden Age

Avon tyres has secured its third OE contract with a British sportscar manufacturer within the space of six months. Avon parent company Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Europe Ltd has announced the signing of an agreement with Peterborough based manufacturer Vanwall – a postwar racing marque given a new lease of life in the 21st century. This latest deal comes on top of recent contracts with Connaught and Morgan.

Avon’s Turbo Steel 70 has been confirmed as the official tyre for Vanwall’s V12-powered Grand Prix Racer. Starting at £50,000 per car, and built to each customer’s individual specification, the Vanwall GPR V12 is a road legal, two-seater racing car styled on the classic 1950s Formula One cars bearing the same name, made famous at the hands of motor racing legend, Sir Stirling Moss.

25th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper’s second A1GP season ends at Brands Hatch

The A1 Grand Prix series is returning to its ‘spiritual home’ of Brands Hatch on April 29 for the grand finale to its second season. And with it comes Cooper Tires, the sole supplier of rubber to the A1GP series since it began on the Kent track in September 2005 with a race that drew a crowd of 80,000 spectators, the largest attendance at the ex-Grand Prix venue since its last Formula 1 World Championship race in 1986.

Earlier this year, the championship topped an enormous 250,000km of race distance on Cooper bespoke racing tyres, and the tyremaker will continue to supply the series on an exclusive basis during its third season, which starts later on 2007. The organisers of A1GP believe the series, with national teams fighting for a ‘World Cup of Motorsport’, is a unique concept, and are confident that the action and overtaking present in each race makes a refreshing change from the processional nature of modern Formula One.

24th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Urges Motorists: Think Before You Drive

Bridgestone is again urging motorists across the country to “Think Before You Drive”, as its campaign to encourage drivers to check the safety of their tyres enters a third year. In an effort to reduce accidents in the UK, Bridgestone joined forces with the RAC Foundation and FIA Foundation in 2005 to launch the Think Before You Drive campaign – and this year will see more activity than ever before.

“Since the campaign began, we have carried out tens of thousands of free tyre checks across the UK and Europe, in an effort to show drivers just how important their tyres are,” said John McNaught, managing director of Bridgestone UK. “Shockingly, we have found that only 6.5 per cent of vehicles had all four tyres correctly inflated, with at least one in eight cars having at least one tyre significantly under-inflated.”

20th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

This Side of Eden

Cars on the equivalent real-life grid are capable of producing a staggering 4,000-plus BHP between them. Yet budding Jenson Buttons can experience all the thrills and spills of a competitive F1 race at the Eden Project this month (April), using only pedal power to fire them to victory!

An unusual attraction at the Bodelva attraction enables teams of two to go head-to-head on a demanding six-lane slot car circuit. One person pedals furiously on a specially-rigged exercise bike to provide power, while the other uses a controller to guide their car towards the chequered flag and hopefully a place on the podium.

12th April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

White Grooves to Differentiate F1 Tyres

Bridgestone has confirmed it will use white markings to distinguish the softer compound tyre options used in the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix. The marking, applied to the bottom of the tyres’ second inside groove, was one of a number of options tested during practice days in Sepang following complaints about the red dots used during the Australian Grand Prix.

3rd April 2007/by Tyrepress Editors