Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

Why Rally Finland victory means as much as a WRC title to Pajari

WRC
Rally Finland
Why Rally Finland victory means as much as a WRC title to Pajari

Paddon secures extra Hyundai WRC outing in 2026

WRC
Rally del Paraguay
Paddon secures extra Hyundai WRC outing in 2026

The deep and lasting significance of the McLaren MP4/4’s forgotten older brother

Feature
Formula 1
The deep and lasting significance of the McLaren MP4/4’s forgotten older brother

WRC Finland: Pajari claims back-to-back WRC victories

WRC
Rally Finland
WRC Finland: Pajari claims back-to-back WRC victories

KTM might drop Vinales with immediate effect

MotoGP
British GP
KTM might drop Vinales with immediate effect

Supercars Perth: Payne outduels Feeney for victory

Supercars
Perth Super 440
Supercars Perth: Payne outduels Feeney for victory

Verstappen's mindset going into the F1 summer break: "Of course I can easily stop, but I love racing"

Formula 1
Hungarian GP
Verstappen's mindset going into the F1 summer break: "Of course I can easily stop, but I love racing"

Voting is open in Autosport Best of the Month for July 2026

General
Voting is open in Autosport Best of the Month for July 2026

Bahrain Friday quotes: Bridgestone

Hirohide Hamashima - Bridgestone Director of Motorsport Tyre Development

What was significant about today's running?

"Today was the first time that teams have run in hot weather with the 2010 Bridgestone Potenza tyres. In addition, this was the first time that teams have run on the new configuration Sakhir circuit. This is quite a severe circuit so it gives our tyres a good test, especially in these hot temperatures. After the limited pre-season testing there is still much to learn and we have seen a variety of tyre usage across the field. Significantly this was the first time we've seen the new teams at a Grand Prix. For data collection the teams are approaching Friday practice differently this season as there are big differences in fuel loads to evaluate and there are fewer tyres available to use. The difference in fuel loads and the length of stint being undertaken on new or old tyres makes it difficult to interpret the results without all the data, and this makes practice very interesting indeed."

How do you expect this allocation to work over the weekend?

"It is difficult to say from the data we have seen so far as the track is very green and we predict a lot of circuit improvement over the weekend. Even today we saw a significant reduction in graining and degradation as the circuit improved. The medium compound was used for the majority of running today with fewer laps undertaken on the super soft compound. From today's running there is not much difference between the two compounds however this could change with further track and car set-up improvements tomorrow."

Previous article Liuzzi upbeat on Force India form
Next article Bahrain Friday quotes: Ferrari

Top Comments