Bridgestone changes F1 tyre policy

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Bridgestone has announced its tyre allocations for the four rounds of the championship from Hungary to Italy.

After much criticism from the drivers, notably Fernando Alonso, it has ceased its practice of bringing tyres two stages apart on its performance spectrum.

As last year, Hungaroring and Valencia will be tackled with its softest tyres. But for Spa Bridgestone will bring tyres one stage softer than last year.

For Monza Bridgestone is changing back to the combination of medium and soft tyres in used in 2007. Last year it brought hard and medium – but heavy rain meant the race was mostly run on wet weather tyres anyway.

Tyre allocations for rounds 10 to 13

Circuit2009 tyres2008 tyres
HungaroringSoft and Super SoftSoft and Super Soft
Circuito Urbano ValenciaSoft and Super SoftSoft and Super Soft
Spa-FrancorchampsMedium and SoftHard and Medium
MonzaMedium and SoftHard and Medium

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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17 comments on “Bridgestone changes F1 tyre policy”

  1. I am glad they changed this rule.It made for some interesting strategy decisions in the pits but,why would we want to watch these high-tech race cars run around the track like wounded ducks because they are equiped with the wrong parts.

  2. as time goes by, i like the silly tire rules less and less.

    why not bring soft, medium and hard tires to each race, and let the teams sort it out for themselves?

  3. Sense at last. The non-consecutive rule was just a gimmick to shake the show up.
    F1 shouldn`t be about gimmicks IMO.

  4. Sense yes but the rces are not going to get any better i don’t think. So far 2009 as been a damp squid in my opinion.

  5. Yes, the Brawn runaways have been pretty boring but at least the championship will be interesting as Red Bull runs away with the rest of them!

  6. Terry Fabulous
    1st July 2009, 2:55

    Being Selfish – This is really bad for Button. He managed to do the good thing in a couple of races this year primarily because he is so gentle on his tyres. Thinking Monaco and Australia for starters.

    Looking Wider – This is great, get rid of gimicky rules.

    1. Now I was thinking just the opposite. What is seen as the correct tyre choice for the track and temperature, is usually the tyre that wears out fairly quickly and/or grains if not treated right. Therefore I thought it is probably a better situation for Jensen.

      1. HounslowBusGarage
        1st July 2009, 7:35

        I thought that too. The Brawn seems to have more difficulty in getting the heat into its tyres than most other cars, and JBs style apparently contibutes even more to that.
        So using medium and soft at Spa and Monza instead of hard and medium should give him and advantage, shouldn’t it?

        1. Bigbadderboom
          1st July 2009, 9:27

          It will certainly make setting the car up much easier for Brawn as the target temp window will be much closer.

  7. Considering Bridgestone’s adverts in the UK are all about providing the perfect tyre for F1, you would think they would have the ability to allow the teams to decide for themselves which was the best one for each circuit/car/driver combination……
    After all, no matter who wins at the end of the season, Bridgestone will still say they could only have done it with their tyres…..

    1. I`ve no doubt Bridgestone could but it`s not what the FIA have instructed them to do, DGR-F1.

  8. I preferred the two stages apart tyre choice because then no compound is the right one for the circuit. One is too hard and the other too soft. I thought that was the key to this option. It would allow for more difference in tyre strategy.

    Now one compound is the right one and the other is either too soft or too hard. Everybody would run the majority of the race on the right compound and only a little on the other one. So there won’t be a lot of difference in tyre strategy as there would be in the previous option.

    My favourite option would be no mandatory tyre stop. Take two or three compounds to the race and let the drivers choose the compound(s) they want to use for the race.

  9. I welcome the change as well.
    Was it ever in the rules that Bridgestone had to bring tyres two stages apart to a race or did they just decide to do it on there own, as this is the first report I have heard that they may change the system, let alone that they would defiantley be changing it.

  10. Bigbadderboom
    1st July 2009, 9:30

    I think we should see the cars run at their optimum, let the aero rules and development restrictions close the field, but the tyres should always be the best available. At least the drivers get a chance to show their best. By running tyres 2 stages apart the racing has more to do with design details of the car than the drivers ability.

  11. I welcome this decision as well. F1 should have the best rubber available for whichever circuit.

    And there will still be a tyre strategy: How long to run the option, and when to make the change? The tyre strategy will simply be less important.

    And I have NEVER understood why any tyre manufacturer would want to bring tyres of a substandard compound to a track. How does poor tyre performance in an F1 race help them sell tyres to motorists ?

    Goodyear does the same thing to Nascar in America. Tyres chew through at an alarming rate, blow out causing numerous unnecessary wrecks–and Goodyear brings the same compound to the next race at the same track.

    Insanity.

  12. I regret times when the only problem with tyres was settin up the car so that they would have lasted all the race long, or manage the consumption during the race.
    Too many “sport rules” (as penalties, pit lane closed-open, mandatory tyre change, fuel load in qualifying and first stint) really have bored me.

    1. Well Davidhaving watched a few mid 80’s races just lately i can only agree 100% I want pure racing, not mickey mouse racing like you say with your “sort rules”

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