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Teams Push Bridgestone To Increase Tests

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Teams push Bridgestone to increase tests

Tyre supplier Bridgestone are coming under pressure from a number of teams to increase winter testing this year after proposing a very limited programme of running after the season.

With Bridgestone becoming F1's single tyre supplier at the end of the year, the company have proposed a cut-back in running because of the logistical and production headaches they will have from supplying the entire grid.

The company informed the teams prior to the Italian Grand Prix that they want to limit pre-Christmas testing to just two three-day tests. This compares with the 13 days that most teams conducted last season in November and December.

BMW-Sauber technical director Willi Rampf said the current limited test programme would hurt those teams trying out new elements of their package, which is why the teams are pushing Bridgestone to increase the programme.

"From a purely technical point of view, if you have to try out different things, like a new engine or a new driver, then it will be difficult," he told autosport.com. "I think the teams are still in discussions about it, with Bridgestone and the FIA, to find a compromise."

Williams boss Frank Williams was more outspoken about the matter - primarily because his team will be switching to Toyota power units next year.

"There is a lot of anguish about next year's tyre supplier really restricting it (testing)," he said. "A team in the mire, which at the same time is also changing its engine and has many new technical matters to deal with has a problem. A lot of hard words have been said."

Bridgestone's director of motorsport Hiroshi Yasukawa said that he was trying to find a solution that would satisfy the teams, the FIA and his company.

"As you are aware, our rival has decided to leave Formula One at the end of the 2006 season," he said. "Bridgestone has therefore inherited the single tyre supplier status a year ahead of our tender commencing in 2008.

"Instead of supplying and servicing tyres for five teams we will within a matter of weeks have to cater for 11 teams. Bridgestone, the teams and the FIA are all currently discussing tyre supply for 2007.

"We have to balance the requests of the teams, with the desire of the FIA to reduce costs in F1, while understanding Bridgestone's priority of safety and our current production and logistical capacity. We are confident that a suitable compromise can be made."

Although testing from January to the start of the season has also been reduced, it has not caused too much concern for the teams. They have currently pencilled in three five-day tests, plus the option to run during a car launch at a track.

Williams said: "From January 1 there is an accommodation that is comfortable for both sides. It saves money and gives team enough time."

Source: autosport

I find this interesting as it may look like this could befit Ferrari.

I mean, why would Bridgestobne consider becoming sole supplier if they don't have the logistical capabilities? I am sure Ferrari won't find themselves shortchanged as they have in-house Bridgestone staff.

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You are really reaching on this one :P

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very true, Ferrari would be just as hard hit by not testing

Surely you re kidding, right?

They know the tyre they are going to use, while none of the Michelin clad teams do. How can Ferrari be hit as hard? I am dying to know.

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Well all teams on the bridgestons will gain an advantage from it, not just Ferrari. Thats why teams like Williams and Toyota were smart to move over early, in a way.

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Personally Bridgestone should really up their game. This isnt very good is it, they have known about this for some time thus should have prepared a lot earlier and gotten the right infrastructure in place long ago to be able to produce more tyres. IT's also highly unfair on the teams needing to swith to bridgestones and they more than anyone else need the track time to adapt. Im not impressed!

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To bad, so sad Michelin didn't have to bow out next year they chose to leave all of the loyal Michelin teams in a lurch.........

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They know the tyre they are going to use, while none of the Michelin clad teams do. How can Ferrari be hit as hard? I am dying to know.

They're using a brand new tyre that should be substantially different from anything Ferrari has seen. With tyres, you know full well that the slighest change in track conditions or tyre compound completely throws the teams off so to suggest that Ferrari is going to be able to anticipate perfectly what the new tyre is going to be like, is ridiculous.

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They're using a brand new tyre that should be substantially different from anything Ferrari has seen. With tyres, you know full well that the slighest change in track conditions or tyre compound completely throws the teams off so to suggest that Ferrari is going to be able to anticipate perfectly what the new tyre is going to be like, is ridiculous.

Yeah i've read that somewhere aswell. Lets hope that all teams have the same base line in which to start 07 season from, this can only be achieved by Bridgestone changing the tyre enough to not give the current 06 Bridgestone teams an unfair advantage.

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There are more considerations than compound when dealing with tyres. The frontal shape of the tyre and how it affects the airflow from the front-wing endplates, as well as any drag-reduction elements on the sidepod would not be known until you ran the tyres on the car.

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They're using a brand new tyre that should be substantially different from anything Ferrari has seen. With tyres, you know full well that the slighest change in track conditions or tyre compound completely throws the teams off so to suggest that Ferrari is going to be able to anticipate perfectly what the new tyre is going to be like, is ridiculous.

So what has all the talk been about it being a disadvantage for Michelin teams to switch to Bridgestone?

If what you are saying turns out to be true, which I doubt, then the rest of the world has gone one about a disadvantage that did not exist...

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I feel the advantage that the current B'stone teams will have is they will know how the tires are constructed ie how the flex etc.

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To bad, so sad Michelin didn't have to bow out next year they chose to leave all of the loyal Michelin teams in a lurch.........

Yes they did, they said if it was ever confirmed they were going to be running a single tyre series, they'd be gone. They stayed true to their word, if they hadn't you'd have ferrari fans bringing up the fact they lied ;)

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There are more considerations than compound when dealing with tyres. The frontal shape of the tyre and how it affects the airflow from the front-wing endplates, as well as any drag-reduction elements on the sidepod would not be known until you ran the tyres on the car.

The teams will have a little advanced notice with the shape of the tyres as scale models are available for wind tunnel testing

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So what has all the talk been about it being a disadvantage for Michelin teams to switch to Bridgestone?

If what you are saying turns out to be true, which I doubt, then the rest of the world has gone one about a disadvantage that did not exist...

Paranoia, as usual.

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I feel the advantage that the current B'stone teams will have is they will know how the tires are constructed ie how the flex etc.

I forgot to mention that, thanks Bruce. :thbup:

Also a factor relating to the aero would be the exact nature of the vortices from the rear tyres and how they affect the air coming up from the diffuser.

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Next year tyre is going to be different because FIA wants to slow the cars and this is the best way the have to do that, now Brigestone don't have a Michelin to compete with, so they don't need to be agressive on the design, compound nor construction of the tyre, Brigestone will have good results in every race next year all they have to do is a tyre that is safe enough for every track, specialy for those circuits like Indy, doing that their job is done, maybe they will have some hard and soft option for those team that want to have a different strategy. So next year won't be any advantage for Ferrari coming from Brigestone the only advantage that ferrari will have next year it's that there will not be any team with a superior tyre, that means that those teams that got a good result having a better tyre, will be behind Ferrari unless they can build a better car for next season. If you see this happening next year, don't think that Brigestone is doing something to get Ferrari in front it's gonna be just because of this.

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Next year tyre is going to be different because FIA wants to slow the cars and this is the best way the have to do that, now Brigestone don't have a Michelin to compete with, so they don't need to be agressive on the design, compound nor construction of the tyre, Brigestone will have good results in every race next year all they have to do is a tyre that is safe enough for every track, specialy for those circuits like Indy, doing that their job is done, maybe they will have some hard and soft option for those team that want to have a different strategy. So next year won't be any advantage for Ferrari coming from Brigestone the only advantage that ferrari will have next year it's that there will not be any team with a superior tyre, that means that those teams that got a good result having a better tyre, will be behind Ferrari unless they can build a better car for next season. If you see this happening next year, don't think that Brigestone is doing something to get Ferrari in front it's gonna be just because of this.

See I think its the other way around, the only reason Ferrari got an advantage a couple of races ago was because Bridgestone was better then Michelin, when Ferrari is the only top team on Bridgestones they easily dominate when the other top teams on Michelin's have inferior tires...Ferrari's suddenly going to have alot more competition then its used to. Less testings good, Bridgestone already refused to give MS a tire advantage so I think the whole subject of some teams getting an advantage is a bit trivial and I really can't see it being a major factor.

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I'd like to see what B'stone does in the Champ car series, the hard compound tires have a black sidewall while the option tire has a red sidewalland in Champcar you can change your tire compound during the race. Make for interesting stratagys during the race.

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Ridiculous, we have one thread where people complain about Ferrari wanting more testing, and we have one where people complain about Bridgestone wanting less. Make up your mind.

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Ridiculous, we have one thread where people complain about Ferrari wanting more testing, and we have one where people complain about Bridgestone wanting less. Make up your mind.

People will find any way they can to attack ferrari. The current level of anti-ferrari-ness is ridiculous

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People will find any way they can to attack ferrari. The current level of anti-ferrari-ness is ridiculous

Indeed, that's why if they win the WDC and the WCC I shall sit back with smuggness on my face to no end. Let the loooooooosers bash away :mf_tongue:

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Indeed, that's why if they win the WDC and the WCC I shall sit back with smuggness on my face to no end. Let the loooooooosers bash away :mf_tongue:

I dont even like Ferrari myself but refuse to jump on the bandwagon and make wild accusations with pathetic evidence. I want schu to win this year purely because I really dont want alonso to!!!

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Ridiculous, we have one thread where people complain about Ferrari wanting more testing, and we have one where people complain about Bridgestone wanting less. Make up your mind.

So you admit that Bridgestone and Ferrari are effectively the same entity for decision making purposes? :lol:

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