Australian GP – Bridgestone plays the role of protector

Bridgestone begins, for the second consecutive year, a Formula 1 season as the official tire supplier. Some teams have had little trouble adapting to this new situation as they retained their original equipment supplier, while others, like Renault, are still struggling to find the right settings…

Bridgestone brings Softs and Mediums for the 11 teams and waits to see if the rain will cause disruptions in Melbourne.

Hiroshi Yasukawa, Director of Bridgestone Motorsport:

« This will be our second year as the official tire supplier for all Formula 1 teams. We are very proud to have good relationships with all the teams and we work hard to maintain our fairness in supplying these same teams. »

« Safety is considered paramount for Bridgestone, and we hope to hold our position for the racing season. Formula 1 is known worldwide, and the Bridgestone brand grows a little bigger each year through our association. »

« We feel, little by little, the excitement building for the two new races this season, in Valencia and in Singapore. These bring new challenges. It all begins in Melbourne with the Australian Grand Prix, and I am convinced it will be an exciting race, » concluded Hiroshi Yasukawa.

Hirohide Hamashima, Director of Tyre Development at Bridgestone Motorsport:

« Albert Park is a circuit used only once a year and is the host of the first Grand Prix of the season, so teams and drivers will face many challenges. It is a high-speed track that is very hard on the tires. »

« The track’s grip level will change over the weekend, and the teams and drivers will have to constantly adapt. We will use our two mid-range compounds with the softs and mediums because they are the ones that best suit the track. »

« Most teams have new cars. They, therefore, face an additional challenge in finding the best settings to optimize tire performance on their cars. For the drivers, the absence of traction control will make a difference. »