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Gascoyne hopes tyre pact lasts

Toyota technical director Mike Gascoyne is hoping that the testing co-operation pact between Bridgestone's teams will remain intact throughout the season - even if it means some outfits lose their advantage

Details of the agreement between Toyota, Ferrari, Williams and Midland to pool all their testing data together in a bid to help Bridgestone was revealed last week, as the Japanese tyre manufacturer bids to get back to the front of the field.

And although the spirit of co-operation between the teams will likely come under threat once the season is in full-swing, Gascoyne is hopeful that all the outfits involved will put Bridgestone's needs ahead of their own.

"I would hope it goes on at all tests where we are running together and doing tyre test programmes, because it is beneficial for the quick guys," he said.

"Okay, you do something and share the information, and sure some others may benefit from that information, but ultimately as long as Bridgestone benefit and we all get a better tyre then that is how we benefit first and foremost.

"In terms of having a quicker car over the fellow Bridgestone runners, that is our job as a team."

Gascoyne believes that the pact will be crucial in helping Bridgestone's efforts this season - and comes after the company realised their mistake in focusing everything around Ferrari in recent years.

"I think it will help," explained Gascoyne. "It helps you to know where you are relative to the opposition, but it means you get a clearer picture of the tyres you are testing. We obviously have to give our feedback to Bridgestone independently of the others, but it does mean there is a pool of information because we share that information.

"I think they (Bridgestone) know that they have been really hurt going the route of just one team testing for them, and Ferrari have realised that as well.

"That is why all the parties are fairly keen to be open about it and from our side that is the way we are used to working with Michelin and with Pascal (Vasselon, former Michelin technician) on board, that is how we wanted to work anyway.

"So both Ferrari and Bridgestone have realised that they need that information and they need to share it."

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