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Button Wins First F1 Title in Brazil Following Barrichello Puncture

Jenson Button overcame his worst qualifying performance of the 2009 Formula One season to collect a vital fifth-place finish; a placing that turned out to be decisive in this season’s Drivers Championship, as Sebastian Vettel and Button’s Brawn team-mate Rubens Barrichello – who started on pole in his home Grand Prix – failed to pick up enough points to take the fight to the last Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi. Button started from 14th on the grid, but composure under pressure during an exciting race – coupled with Barrichello’s unfortunate puncture when he was in third place – allowed him to go into the final race of the season assured of his championship title. Barrichello had reason to smile too, though; their combined points also secured the Constructor’s Championship for Brawn GP in its debut season.

19th October 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Hamilton Meets Club Rainbow in Singapore, Hosted by Bridgestone

Bridgestone has been showing that its involvement in Formula One stretches beyond the supply of rubber on race days; the manufacturer hosted an event in which eight of the disadvantaged children of Singapore’s Club Rainbow met up with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton. Club Rainbow (Singapore) is a registered charity committed to helping children and youths suffering from a range of chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Established in 1992, the charity currently supports more than 470 beneficiaries and their families.

25th September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Renault Handed F1 Suspended Expulsion

Renault’s Formula One team has been given a suspended ban from the sport for its role in the race-fixing scandal at the Singapore Grand Prix in 2008. The team’s former head, Flavio Briatore has been banned from all FIA-sanctioned events indefinitely, while Pat Symonds, the former engineering director also implicated by ex-driver Nelson Piquet Jr., was handed a five-year exclusion. Piquet has avoided censure as a result of his whistle-blowing activity, while Fernando Alonso, Renault’s lead driver who won the race in question largely thanks to the ersatz accident, was cleared of any involvement and thanked by the FIA for “cooperating with enquiries”.

22nd September 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone “Pleased” with Belgian F1 Practice Session

Bridgestone director of motorsport tyre development, Hirohide Hamashima declared himself “pleased” following Friday’s practice sessions for the Belgian Grand Prix at the undulating Spa Francorchamps circuit. He stated that the unexpected morning showers were “good for Bridgestone as we could evaluate the performance of our latest specification intermediate tyre relative to the wet tyre. We are pleased to say our initial performance feedback and data has been as anticipated.”

28th August 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Previews German Grand Prix

Bridgestone’s super soft tyre proved to be the fastest rubber on the Nurburgring circuit for the first day of the German Grand Prix. In variable weather conditions, Lewis Hamilton set the day’s fastest lap time, a 1min 32.149secs, in his Vodafone McLaren Mercedes during the afternoon practice session. Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing) was the fastest driver in the morning practice session, using the medium compound to set a time of 1min 33.082secs. Conditions were cold and there was some rain today meaning that Bridgestone’s intermediate and wet tyres were seen out on track.

Hirohide Hamashima, Bridgestone director of motorsport tyre development said that “maintaining tyre temperature was a challenge.” He also praised the circuit and suggested that the weekend could be dominated by tyre talk: “It’s an interesting circuit here and, as illustrated today, there is always the factor of the weather too. After the British Grand Prix there was a lot of talk of tyre temperatures and how the front running teams and drivers use their tyres. I would not be surprised if that is also a topic this weekend. If it stays cold like today then the super soft could even be the preferred race tyre. For the medium compound, getting temperature into the tyre is the challenge, for the super soft, minimising graining is the challenge.”

10th July 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Autoglym Aids Record Attempt

The British team behind ‘Inspiration’ – the vehicle that will next month make an assault on the world land speed record for a steam-powered car – recently called on the skills of car care experts Autoglym as part of final preparations before the car is shipped to the USA for its record attempt. The Autoglym team was tasked with reducing surface drag and enhancing the appearance of the already stunning-looking car with a coat of its super-durable High Definition Wax.

At Edwards Air Force in the Mojave Desert, California, the team will attempt to break the 145mph US national record (set in 1985) and the FIA record of 127mph which has stood for 103 years. The Inspiration team hopes to hit 170mph, and every effort has been made to optimise aerodynamic performance and reduce drag. Autoglym’s High Definition Wax was applied to Inspiration’s metallic British Racing Green paintwork to provide a smooth, ultra-glossy surface that will help the car to cut through the air with minimal resistance.

22nd May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Bridgestone Paid Royal Visit at Monaco Grand Prix

Bridgestone Motorsport has described itself as “honoured” when it received a princely visit from Albert II, sovereign prince of Monaco, on the Thursday of the 67th Monaco Grand Prix. Prince Albert was welcomed into Bridgestone Motorsport’s motorhome, meeting Hiroshi Yasukawa, director of Bridgestone Motorsport. Bridgestone has enjoyed a thirteen-year continuous association with the FIA Gold Medal Award-winning race at Monte Carlo, enjoying ever increasing global TV coverage both from its technical association and commercial signage around the track.

Yasukawa said, “It was a great honour to receive Prince Albert at Bridgestone and to earn recognition from His Serene Highness for our association with the Monaco Grand Prix. This is the most important and prestigious motor race in the world. It is the jewel in the racing crown seen around the globe by one of the biggest television audiences of the year, producing the highest return in commercial value of all the races.”

22nd May 2009/by Tyrepress Editors

Massa Pulls Back Hamilton Deficit

Ferrari’s Felipe Massa took the European Grand Prix on the streets of Valencia over the weekend, holding off the challenge of Championship leader Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren. The placing of the drivers, coupled with the retirement of Kimi Raikkonen, thanks to engine failure, means that Hamilton increases his lead on second place to six points, while Massa moves up to second.

BMW Sauber’s Robert Kubica took the final spot on the podium, while Hamilton’s McLaren colleague Heikki Kovalainen took fourth to follow his debut victory in Hungary. McLaren’s performance means that it has closed the team’s Constructors’ Championship deficit to eight, with Ferrari continuing to lead the way.

26th 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

Hamilton Storms German GP Despite Team Error

Lewis Hamilton took his McLaren to the top of the Formula One Drivers Championship this weekend, winning the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim. The British frontrunner seemed to be in trouble following a strategy error that saw him drop to fifth place, having started on Pole.

After the race, McLaren boss Ron Dennis apologised for the team’s mistake of not calling Hamilton to the pits when the use of a safety car saw the evaporation of Hamilton’s 11-second lead. Hamilton eventually reached the pits for refuelling on lap 50, rendered a mere spectator as four drivers passed him. However, one suspiciously easy passing manoeuvre on team-mate Heikki Kovalainen later, only a further eight laps were necessary to pass Filipe Massa’s Ferrari and Nelson Piquet’s Renault, as Hamilton made a mockery of suggestions that he may be slowed through the use of softer tyres in the final third, regaining the lead seven laps from the end.

21st July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Wet Weather Rubber the Difference in Hamilton Victory

Lewis Hamilton’s victory at Silverstone was to a large extent decided by the contrasting tyre selections of the McLaren and Ferrari teams. The British team’s car places greater loads on its tyres than its Italian counterpart, which was – for the rain-hit British Grand Prix at least – an advantage, as it allowed the McLaren’s tyres to attain critical racing temperature quickly: one of the difficulties in using Bridgestone’s F1 wets was overcome.

7th July 2008/by Tyrepress Editors

Alonso Takes F1 Title As Schumacher Bows Out

The Formula 1 season came to an exciting end at the Brazilian Grand Prix with Fernando Alonso of Renault (Michelin) retaining his world title after finishing second. Ferrari’s (Bridgestone) Felipe Massa led from pole to flag to record a win in his home country – his second career win – and Honda’s (Michelin) Jenson Button finished third.

23rd October 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

LPG Vehicle Fuels First South American Adventure for BEN

Joy Rainey is set to become the first driver to compete in a long distance rally in an LPG converted vehicle. Joy will be taking part in the South American Carrera Sudamerican Challenge in May. As a strong supporter of BEN, the Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund, Joy asked that the charity’s logo be included on the livery of her vehicle to increase awareness of the Fund. Nicholson McLaren Engines has converted a Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4×4 to run on liquid petroleum gas. This will be the first vehicle to be competitively driven in a long distance rally using LPG.

22nd February 2006/by Tyrepress Editors

Pierre Dupasquier Retires

Michelin motorsport director, Pierre Dupasquier has bowed out from international motorsport following the company’s 100th pole position and another Grand Prix win. Whilst always likely to be a Michelin pole – the French brand has taken 18 of the 19 top spots in qualifying this season – the 100th such achievement was a fitting way for Dupasquier to leave the F1 paddock, having presided over the company’s return to F1.

17th October 2005/by Tyrepress Editors

FIA Considers Reinstating Tyre Changes Into F1

As Kimi Raikonnen celebrates what he has described as one of his best victories ever, the FIA is said to be considering a U-turn on its policy of keeping to one set of tyres per race weekend. Despite starting back in 17th on the grid, Raikonnen powered to victory on the last lap of the Japanese Grand Prix. Renault’s Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso filled the remaining podium places. Once again, Michael Schumacher’s seventh place Ferrari was the only Bridgestone shod vehicle to score points.

10th October 2005/by Tyrepress Editors