Kimi will miss Bridgestone's farewell party

Turun Sanomat 6.9 2010

Bridgestone will leave the F1-tracks after this season and they are throwing their first farewell party in Italy GP for the European media.

After the last race in Europe Bridgestone will also throw a farewell party in Japan and Abu Dhabi during the GP-races.

All five Bridgestone World Champions have been invited to Monza out of which three - Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button – will be on the paddock already because of their work. The other two are Mika Häkkinen and Kimi Räikkönen.

Yet Räikkönen can't come because he is driving in Rally Japan at the same time - with Pirelli-tyres which will replace Bridgestone next year in F1.

TS/Heikki Kulta
Courtesy: Nicole

Pirelli admits possible interest in F1 tyre supply

A third name has emerged as a potential supplier of Formula One tyres in 2011.

It has been confirmed that Michelin, favoured by the FOTA group, as well as Avon-Cooper - believed to be favoured by Bernie Ecclestone and small F1 teams due to its lower-cost proposal - are in the running to replace the departing official supplier Bridgestone.

Milan-based Pirelli said late last year that it did not want to enter F1 because it "prefers to develop tyres for racing that will also be used on the road".

But after a shareholder's meeting in Milan on Wednesday, chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera said Pirelli might rethink its attitude if certain conditions are met.

Like Michelin, he said Pirelli wants the diameter of F1's tyres to be increased from 13 to 18 inches, and would also need to supply its product with an economic benefit to the company.

According to Italian reports including ANSA and the Milan daily Il Giornale, Tronchetti Provera added that if those conditions can be met, Pirelli would "look into this (F1) world with greater attention".

He insisted however that at the moment "there is nothing" more to the rumours.

Source: Motorsport

F1 : Bridgestone Motorsport official wants tyre company to stay in Formula 1

An official of the Japanese tyre supplier on Tuesday said he would like to see Bridgestone stay in Formula One.

Hiroshi Yamada is the development boss for Bridgestone's MotoGP programme.

He told Motosprint that while the marque is pulling out of Formula 1, Bridgestone will probably stay in MotoGP beyond the end of its current contract at the end of 2011.

"Obviously we'd have more money to spend (on MotoGP), because the Formula 1 budget is very high, but in my opinion we should stay in Formula 1 too, because our image would lose a lot otherwise," said Yamada.

Michelin is touted to re-enter Formula 1 in Bridgestone's wake next year, but the French marque wants at least one other supplier to compete with, as well as a move from 13 inch to 18 inch wheel rims in 2011.McLaren's engineering director Paddy Lowe confirmed this week that the teams would back Michelin's push for low profile wheels.

"Yes. I think all the teams have agreed that if Michelin would supply that as a condition then we would support that," he said.

Source: F1SA