John Bolster Award: Bridgestone

The Japanese tyre manufacturer bows out of Formula 1 this year after a 14-year unbroken run in the sport during which it has achieved huge success.

The award, which celebrates technical achievement in motorsport, was presented to the company's director of motorsport Hiroshi Yasukawa by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.

"I'd like to thank everybody for the award," said Yasukawa. "I am very happy we have achieved very competitive tyres [in F1] and some very good results.

"Sometimes it has been a very tough battle [to do that], but we are very happy."

Founded in 1931 by Shojiro Ishibashi, Bridgestone rubber first appeared in F1 in 1976 on Kazuyoshi Hoshino's car at the Japanese Grand Prix.

It would not make a full-time move into the sport until 1997 however, instead gaining a huge amount of success in touring cars, sportscars and junior single-seater racing.

Its first podium in F1 came courtesy of Rubens Barrichello at Monaco in 1997 while Mika Hakkinen was the man who won both its first grand prix and world championship the following year for McLaren.

In total, Bridgestone-tyred cars have won 175 World Championship grands prix, taken 168 pole positions, set 170 fastest laps and finished on the podium 482 times.

Eleven drivers' and 11 constructors' titles have also been won using the Japanese rubber.
Since 2007 it has been the only tyre supplier in F1 while next year, following its withdrawal from the sport, Pirelli will take on that mantle.