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Bridgestone Bitch

SuperRoo
in ForzaMinardi.com Forum
Bridgestone have stepped into the ongoing dispute between Ferrari and their rival teams over testing limitations by claiming that their current form is suffering because they cannot test enough.

Although Ferrari are the only team not limited to the current 30-day ceiling agreed between the nine other teams, the outfit's tyre supplier Bridgestone are adamant that they are still at a disadvantage compared to Michelin.

Bridgestone's head of motorsport tyre development Hirohide Hamashima claims that the number of teams that Michelin can call upon to test, even with each outfit limited to a 30-day limit, has handed the French tyre manufacturer a huge advantage in terms of data.

When asked why there appears to have been a dramatic turnaround in form between Michelin and Bridgestone this year compared to last season, Hamashima told Gazzetta dello Sport: "The explanation is simple: we don't test enough.

"They say Ferrari test more than anyone but last winter, when we had only one car at our disposal, there were teams lining up three of them. And besides, our rivals can count on several top teams, so they can improve much faster.

"This is particularly decisive this year, with these new regulations. This is why we pushed for an agreement which limited testing in terms of kilometres rather than days."

Ferrari did propose a testing limitation to the other teams that involved setting a maximum amount of kilometers that each tyre manufacturer could test for.

Rival teams rejected that because the distance would have had to be shared out by the Michelin teams, whereas Ferrari would have been able to conduct most of that work alone for Bridgestone.

Despite the problems that Ferrari are suffering, however, Hamashima believes that the only area where the team are weak is in their single lap pace ­ which has hindered Schumacher's chances of decent grid positions.

"The only problem here was the lack of performance in qualifying," said Hamashima. "After that the pace was good for Michael until the retirement."
I have an idea. Why don't Bridgestone pay for Minardi to test alongside TOIT. Surely, the amount is minimal compared to the embarrasment they and TOIT are facing. A more competitive Minardi has surely got to help development.

Comments

  • Minardifan2002
    Bridgestone don't care about Minardi or Jordan. Minardi should have stayed with michelins
  • Minardus
    Montezemolo also has some bickering (from Grandprix.com):
    Ferrari's ultimate boss Luca di Montezemolo is complaining that Formula 1 is being dictated too much by tyres.

    "With these new regulations it's more of a World Championship for tyres than for cars," he said. "I'm worried because I see, after five races, that we have a very competitive car, but we have a big problem with the tyres. Bridgestone have worked very well in previous years, but with these new regulations, tyres have an excessive and certainly decisive role. I hope the situation improves because we have trouble in being fast both over a hot lap and over the race distance."

    Memories are short in Formula 1. Ferrari was offered the opportunity to sign up to a single tyre formula last October as part of the "Cost Saving Initiative" at the Brazilian Grand Prix, which proposed a control tyre for F1. It was agreed by nine of the 10 teams. One of the reasons that Ferrari refused to sign up was that in recent years the relationship that exists between Ferrari and Bridgestone been an important advantage. Now that Bridgestone is not producing the goods needed (at least not at every event) the team is questioning the rules.

    Bridgestone's Hirohide Hamashima says that the lack of performance is because the tyre manufacturer does not do enough testing.

    "Our rivals can count on several top teams," he said. "So they can improve much faster. This is particularly decisive this year, with these new regulations."

    There is an element of truth in this but Bridgestone must look at its tyre supply policy for a reason why this has happened. The company started out with several big teams but gradually each moved to Michelin because they were unhappy with the special relationship between Ferrari and Bridgestone. The upside of that policy was the enormous success of the partnership in recent years.

    The downside is the pain that is now being felt at Maranello.

    The good news for F1 is that in such a circumstance Ferrari might consider a switch to a control tyre (it could be justified as being made in the best interests of the sport) and that would be a major step in reducing the split that currently exists between Ferrari and the other major teams. This would also address the testing issue as without tyre rivalry the need to test would be reduced considerably - and that would bring down costs, which would help Ferrari as well.

    This can only be a good thing because the current situation is not in the best interest of the sport. It would also help the safety situation as a control tyre would provide a much more effective means of slowing the cars.
  • Neil_s
    Bridgestone sucks!

    What bad advertising they are getting!
  • Ste
    Michelin diddnt offer us a contract, thats why we left. They already had 60% of the grid, they had no obligation to give us a contract if they diddnt want to! Thats why we ran Avons a while back.
  • JumpeySpyder
    The situation with bridgestone is of their own making.:spank:

    The reason why TOIT are their only 'big' team is because they concentrated their development purly for TOIT.:rolleyes:

    Here is a list of who got bridgestone tyres over the last few years:-

    2005 Jordan Minardi TOIT
    2004 Jordan Minardi Sauber TOIT
    2003 Jordan Minardi Sauber BAR TOIT

    Not too difficult to see the pattern developing!!!
  • Biker
    2005 Jordan Minardi TOIT
    2004 Jordan Minardi Sauber TOIT
    2003 Jordan Minardi Sauber BAR TOIT

    Not too difficult to see the pattern developing!!!
    2007 TOIT
    2006 Jordan TOIT
  • Petroltorque
    Minardi and Jordan are not in a position to quarrell with Bridgestone. As for going back to Michelin I think that Bridge has well and truly been burnt.
    Really Jordan and Minardi should make more use of their testing limit and so aid Bridgestone. Its to their benefit in the long run.
  • vuurmuur
    Montezemolo should not complain at all! Nine teams agreed to have ONE tyre manufacturer, only Toit was against it. :spank:
  • Minardifan2002
    if that bridge has really been burnt then Minardi are going to be in trouble. Jordan will move over next year leaving us and toit and then bridgestone will leave, with us having no tyres. Any idea if we can persuade goodyear to comeback
  • Minardus
    If BStone decides to leave F1, then Michelin will be obliged to provide every team with tyres (unless another tyre supplier enters) !!!

    Btw, wasn't there talk some time ago that Kumho wants to enter F1 ????
  • JuniorMin
    bring back Pirelli...

  • MCSF
    or Goodyear.
  • Ste
    Either or
  • theweatherman
    Isn't it funny how it is never TOITs fault that they aren't doing very. Its always moan about tyres or moan about the rules. Its about time they realise that they were too cocky and thought an interim car would win. This has not only put them behind in the Championship but also in terms of tyre development with a full new car.

    HAHA

    Lets hope the worlds largest tyre producing company in the world join F1!!!
    LEGO
  • Minardus
    Lets hope the worlds largest tyre producing company in the world join F1!!!
    LEGO
    HUH ?
  • theweatherman
    They make the most tyres in the world. They maybe only 1cm in diameter. But just think of the amount of sets they make each year.

    Not serious about them coming into F1 tho!:D

    Although the sponsorship money would be good for us!!!
  • JumpeySpyder
    TOIT seem to be blaming bridgestone but their new aero looks a bit suspect

    image


  • SuperRoo
    Which bit?
  • SuperRoo
    The bitching goes on.

    Luca D says that the new rules were designed to limit their excessive power!

    Now, which is the team that signed with Burnie and turned their back on the other teams who wanted to challenge the new rules.

    Money is one thing in F1, but winning is everything...
    After aiming fire at Bridgestone, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo slammed F1's new rules. The Italian, faced with the deepest scarlet crisis in a decade, said the sport is now too focused on tyre performance. "The championship is more for tyres than for cars," he panned.

    Maranello based Ferrari have not lost a drivers' title since 2000, or a constructors' trophy since 1999. Di Montezemolo said the current rules are 'not suitable' for Formula One racing. "And they are efficient in limiting our excessive power."

    But team principal Jean Todt urged against panic and pledged to work with Bridgestone to mount a challenge. He insisted: "It is obvious the new rules were interpreted better by our rivals."
  • MCSF
    I'm just bummed we are stuck with B stone. But then again we would get shit on by any tire manu....


    grrrrrrrrrrrrr
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